


Harry Marvolo Riddle

by RelenaDuo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Drama, Friendship, Gen, Harry Potter was Raised by Voldemort, Parent Voldemort, Redeemed Draco, Slytherin Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-13
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 05:12:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4335167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RelenaDuo/pseuds/RelenaDuo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by snarryvader81's Harry Riddle. Lord Voldemort is Harry's father. Hogwarts years AU. Slytherin!Harry. NOT sadistic/cruel Harry. Currently on First Year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Boy Who Lived With The Dark Lord

**Author's Note:**

> Name: Harry Marvolo Riddle
> 
> Summary: Inspired by snarryvader81's Harry Riddle. Lord Voldemort is Harry's father. Hogwarts years AU. Slytherin!Harry. NOT sadistic/cruel Harry. Currently on First Year.
> 
> Also, I would like to mention that I have asked snarryvader81's permission for using her idea in this fanfic. Thanks snarryvader81!

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived With The Dark Lord

His gaze shifted around the cottage across the street. For long, tedious months had he been searching for this cottage in specific. The thrice-be-damned Mudblood had done an excellent job at hiding from him, but she was a fool. She should have known that nobody, especially her of all people, could hide from Lord Voldemort.

A figure walked past the lower level's window. Upon closer inspection he determined it was the blood-traitor the Mudblood woman called husband. But what was this? The blood-traitor was holding something – something small and –

Lord Voldemort felt his blood boil. The blood-traitor was holding him.

How dare he!

Feeling the almost uncontainable urge to storm right now into the cottage Lord Voldemort quickly managed to rein his killing impulses.

No, he couldn't let his rage overcome him now, not now that his plan was mere minutes from fulfilling itself.

Another few minutes went by and finally the Mudblood woman took him from the blood traitor. Moments later one of the windows upstairs lit up with light.

Yes, this was it.

Lord Voldemort rose from his hiding place and calmly walked across the street.

Stealthily opening the front gate he almost laughed at the idiot blood-traitor who didn't even notice him as he glided through their garden up to their front door.

Raising his wand he quickly blasted the door off.

Yelling ensued from the inside of the cottage as he idly stepped over the remains of the front door.

Eyeing the stairs he took a step towards them but was blocked by the blood-traitor Potter who was still yelling orders at his wife to stay away from harm's way.

"Step aside", he commanded coldly at the blood-traitor.

Straightening himself the blood-traitor Potter met his eyes defiantly and spat, "Never! You'll never win Voldemort!"

Raising his wand once he again he quickly cast the killing curse at the blood-traitor, smiling when the thud of his body hitting the floor sounded across the room.

Walking further he stepped over the corpse and went up the stairs towards his room.

Stepping inside the room of the reason he'd been spending months searching and burning houses across the country he found himself facing his second obstacle to his way towardshim.

"Move, if you know what's better for you", he ordered the Mudblood.

"NO! Don't take Harry! Please not Harry! Not Harry please!", she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stood in front of the crib, obscuring the view of him.

"And let him be raised by blood-traitors?", he asked, his voice dangerously cold.

"PLEASE! Don't take him away! Not Harry!", she continued to plead.

"I am only taking what is rightfully mine, now, step aside or I shall send you to your husband", he warned her one last time.

"JAMES! Oh, James!", she wailed, "Don't take Harry! PLEASE!", she cried desperately.

His patience finally worn out, he cursed, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Green light filled the room as she screamed one last time the name of her son and fell lifeless on the floor, finally letting him see him.

In the crib, Harry sat looking mildly scared but also curious at the stranger standing in his room, having no real idea what had just happened with his mother.

A thin smile crept into Lord Voldemort's face as he took a few steps towards Harry and inspected him closely.

"He was right", he mused as he touched the baby's soft black hair and gently ruffled it, "You do look like me."

Harry just stared with his curiosity filled green eyes at him, no longer being scared at the stranger with the red eyes.

Awkwardly stretching his arms out and lifting the baby from its crib, Lord Voldemort held his son for the very first time.

Never before had the Dark Lord held an infant in his arms, never before had he even wanted to be near one. Always feeling repulsed by the mere presence of small children ever since his days at the orphanage, Voldemort had never as much as touched one. But yet here he was. And he was neither repulsed nor did he wish to get the infant out of his sight. This was different. This was his heir, blood of his blood, flesh of his flesh.

Suddenly snapping out of his musing as Harry began squirming in his arms, Voldemort hastily turned and walked downstairs. Intending to be far, far away by the time the Order arrived.

"One last thing", he said as he stood in front of the cottage, "Look Harry", he raised his wand, gaining his son's attention.

Casting a nonverbal curse the cottage suddenly caught fire, but not just any fire, but a powerful magical fire. No one, Muggle or Wizard, would be able to extinguish the fire for hours and by then there would almost be nothing left of the house, never mind the bodies.

Harry, meanwhile, stared at the fire consuming what he had come to know as his home with growing fear.

"Look here Harry", he once more directed Harry's attention to his wand, "This will be the first spell you learn", he smiled cruelly and pointed his wand at the sky above the cottage.

"MORSMORDRE!"

The Dark Mark immediately appeared above the cottage, the serpent coiling itself around the skull.

"It is a spell of my own invention Harry, but I am sure you will also one day come to create spells and curses of your own", he glanced back down at the infant in his arms and saw, not fear as he had expected, but something akin to fascination as he watched the serpent coiling itself around the skull.

Smiling, Voldemort said, now confident in his words, "Yes, terrible spells and curses, Harry."

Several poping sounds could suddenly be heard from across the street and Voldemort hid Harry inside his cloak as his Death Eaters walked towards him, levitating the limp form of a person among them.

"Master", said the leading Death Eater as he knelt and the other echoed his action.

"Do you have him?", Voldemort asked coldly.

"Yes, my Lord, just as you requested."

"Good, set everything up as I told you, I want no errors", he said coldly and made his way back to the street but stopped as he passed one of the still kneeling Death Eater that was trembling uncontrollably.

"Well done Wormtail, you have finally done something right, I expect you to finish everything here off as I ordered you just as well."

"Y-yes, m-m-my Lord", said the trembling form of Wormtail and all the Death Eaters set to work as their Master had told them.

Once standing in the middle of the street, and without offering the burning cottage a second glance, Lord Voldemort and his son disapparated.


	2. The Boy Who Lived With The Dark Lord Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the update is here! I've had such a wonderful response to this fic that I can't help but be thankful at you guys!
> 
> Also, all the plot related questions that have been asked will be answered in the fic later on, just hold on tight and the stuff will all come out.
> 
> Another thing I feel that I need to say is that with this fic I learned a lot about writing, I got better with each chapter so there might be parts that aren't that well written even though I've been doing my best to weed those parts out.

It was a hot summer day in the first days of July, only a few days before his eleventh birthday when Harry was up in his bedroom chambers reading the letter he had just received.

"Hogwarts", he said softly as a manic grin began making its way into his face.

"HOGWARTS!", he finally yelled and tore from his chamber with a speed he didn't even know he possessed.

"DAD!", he yelled as he ran through the spacious hallway, completely ignoring the irritated portraits as they complained about the noise he was making.

"DAD! DAD!", he yelled again as he ran down the stairs to the first landing, almost tripping over his robes.

"DAD!", he yelled as he barged through the doors of the meeting chambers where Lord Voldemort was seated on his high throne looking bored as he was casting the Cruciatus at one of his Death Eaters.

"DAD!", he yelled once again as he ran through the meeting chambers and jumped over the limp form of the Death Eater whom Voldemort had now stopped torturing.

"What is it?", asked Voldemort as he gazed at him with mild interest, clearly not getting what all the fuss was about.

"My Hogwarts letter!", he practically thrust the parchment in his father's face as he was bouncing with enthusiasm.

"Oh", said Voldemort as he took the parchment and read through it, "They actually send you one."

"Can I go?", he asked excitedly, without saying please of course, the heir of Lord Voldemort never said please.

Lifting his gaze from the parchment Voldemort waved at his Death Eaters, dismissing them.

"Well?", Harry asked again as the last Death Eaters dragged away the one that had been tortured moments ago and closed the chamber's doors behind them.

Voldemort seemed to be deep in thought, "You do know what all this will be entailing don't you?", he asked idly as he seemed determined to burn a hole through the parchment with his gaze.

"Of course, it's just like going to Diagon Alley or Knockturn Alley", he held his fingers out before him as he began reciting the rules, "Do not tell anybody who your father is", he let down his thumb, "Do not disclose your true identity unless strictly necessary", his forefinger went down, "Do not show public support to the Death Eaters or to my dad", he let his middle finger down.

Voldemort held out his hand, effectively silencing him, "I am afraid, that living in Hogwarts is going to be much more complex than that. First off, your true identity, that is your name, will be immediately announced in front of the whole school. Next, Dumbledore will then immediately see who you are and will corner you and ask you questions –"

"But I do know the basics of Occlumency!", interrupted Harry, not liking the way things were going.

Voldemort rolled his eyes, "Fine, he might not be able to do anything to you through Legilimency, but the old coot didn't get where he is now only for his magical abilities", said Voldemort seriously.

This time it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes, "He is a manipulative, lunatic old coot, not to be taken lightly in any situation, I know Dad, I know."

"Then you'll see why this isn't to be taken lightly", he said as he waved the Hogwarts letter around.

"I won't take it lightly! I promise!", said Harry earnestly, "Besides, there will be many Death Eaters' children there!"

Voldemort nodded, "That is true, but they won't be able to protect you all the time, nor do I want you to become dependent on other people's protection", he finished with a scowl.

"But I won't!", argued Harry.

Voldemort sat eyeing Harry silently for a few moments, clearly debating whether he should let his son go or not to Hogwarts. Finally, he spoke.

"Have I ever told you about my days as a Hogwarts student?", he began and Harry visibly brightened, "It was the very first place I came to consider my home."

Harry needed to hear no more, he knew that every time his father spoke of Hogwarts it almost always was in an affectionate way and this time proved to be no exception.

"I can go then?", he asked, practically bouncing on his feet with barely concealed excitement.

"Yes you can."

"YES!", Harry exclaimed and launched himself to hug his father.

"I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS, I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS!", he yelled as he clung to his father's neck.

"Yes, but not if you continue to act in this undignified way", said Voldemort as he patted Harry on his back, a customary action normally reserved to calm Harry down.

Harry quickly pulled away and beamed at his father. He was practically itching to say thank you but he had been taught against using those words as well. But before he could trouble himself further with his thoughts a new idea formed in his mind.

"Can I Floo to Draco? I am sure he must also have received his letter today."

Voldemort nodded, "Be back for dinner", he instructed and Harry bolted from the room without further words.

A small smile formed on the Dark Lord's lips as he watched the boy leave. Ever since the day he had brought the boy home he had found himself caring more and more for the boy. More than he'd ever cared before for any being. He could even say that he loved the boy, an emotion he had been sure was impossible for him to feel. And yet here he was, doting on his son and letting him go to Hogwarts.

An amused grin now formed on the Dark Lord's face. Hogwarts. He wondered what Dumbledore would say once he saw the boy. Surely he would recognize the boy's true parentage once he placed his cursed light blue eyes on Harry. The boy had an almost uncanny resemblance with how he'd looked on his younger days, of course most of it was obscured by the glasses and the messy hair was something he'd definitively gotten from his Gaunt ancestors, something Voldemort had been lucky enough not to inherit and then of course the emerald eyes from his mother.

The grin fell from Voldemort's face as he thought about the boy's mother. That was something he'd tried to keep as quiet as possible. And he'd been doing a good job with it too, till the boy turned seven and Bella had the brilliant idea of elaborating a family tree of Harry's ancestors that went back to Salazar Slytherin himself. Harry had then looked up on other people's family trees and noticed that he didn't have even the minimum knowledge about his mother. Bella had then had another stroke of brilliancy and told the boy that he needn't to know about dead, scorched people. Needless to say he had her severely punished for her 'slip' and had ended up having to tell a very elaborate tale of who she was and what had happened to his mother to Harry.

Tale, because he would never want his child to deal with the truth of his father killing his mother and being conceived as his mother cheated on the man she called husband and that he'd lived a full year with a blood-traitor as a 'father'. No, he had no idea how a child would cope with that and he wasn't about to find out. Last thing he needed was a son full of issues. Besides, Harry was more than fine thinking that the Order or some Auror had killed his mother.

The rest of the day went by normally, things were set in motion as Voldemort began alerting his Death Eaters that his heir was going to attend Hogwarts along with their children and he expected them to show respect to the Dark Lord's heir. Lucius Malfoy was assigned to escort Harry to Diagon Alley to buy everything he'd need, much to Bella's chagrin, and Merope Gaunt's portrait was threated to be set on fire if she didn't stop her wailing after she learned that her favourite grandson would leaving for Hogwarts.

"But Grandma Merope, it'll only be nine months!", Harry tried to appease her as he sat in his father's study waiting for Lucius and Draco to arrive by Floo to take him to Diagon Alley.

"I know, i-it's just that I-I'm s-so proud!", she said between sobs, dabbing her eyes with the hem of her dress.

Harry had to roll his eyes at her, why his father had had a portrait to be made of her he'd never know.

Finally the fire in the fireplace erupted and turned green and Lucius and Draco came out.

"Lucius, Draco", he nodded curtly at each.

"Harry", said Lucius with a small bow, "Your father?"

"In the library", he informed and Lucius left.

Draco came to sit beside him on the sofa as he kept throwing glances at the weeping woman in the portrait.

"Hasn't anybody had luck quieting her?", he asked, the news of the wailing portrait having obviously travelled amongst the inner circle of the Death Eaters.

Harry shook his head, "And she's nothing, you should have seen the ghosts on the fifth landing, I've never before seen ghosts celebrating, nor did I know they could be so loud about it."

Draco shuddered a bit and Harry smirked. Draco had never liked the Riddle Manor as much, what with all the ghosts, creatures and multiple other beings that roamed either inside or outside the Manor.

"We are ready to leave", announced Lucius as he came back with Voldemort into the study.

"Finally", sighed Harry as he and Draco each took a handful of Floo powder.

Minutes later they were all walking down Diagon Alley and towards Gringotts Bank. A short cart trip to Riddle and Malfoy vaults later and they were all walking towards the exit of the Bank when Lucius stopped them.

"Boys, I need to see to something urgent", he began as he craned his neck in a dignified sort of way as he looked at the other side of the Bank, "You go and shop for your robes and books, I'll meet you at the Apothecary in an hour", he said and without further ado he left in a hurry.

"What was that about?", said Harry as he and Draco walked outside, pointedly refusing to even look at the faces of the goblins, which he thoroughly hated, just as his father had taught him.

"He forgot I already have robes!", said Draco as he shook his head indignantly.

"You go buy your books then, I'll be at Madame Malkin's", said Harry and left before Draco could protest any further.

Entering the shop he found a girl already being measured by Madame Malkin.

"Hogwarts, dear?", she asked and he nodded.

"Good, over here please", she directed him to the platform across the girl's one and called her assistant to come measure him.

"My name is Hermione", the girl introduced herself immediately, "Is this also your first year at Hogwarts?", she asked, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Yes it is, any idea what House you're going to be in?", he asked and before she could answer he said, "I'm going to be in Slytherin, I just know it, father says I'm being over confident but I know he's just trying to make me nervous."

"Oh, I'm already so nervous, I've already read all my course work spellbooks, I can't wait for classes to start. Though aren't you sorted into the houses based on your personality, how can you be sure you'll be a Slytherin?"

Even though she sounded rather bossy and demanding, Harry could see the genuine curiosity shining in her eyes so he just straightened up a little and said with as much self-confidence as he could muster, "My father was in Slytherin, and all my ancestors before him, it is only natural."

"But what if you end in Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff?", she enquired, curiosity – no – a need for knowledge now burning in her eyes.

Quickly recovering from the almost insulting quality of her questions he answered, "Well, you do have a point there, many older wizarding families take such pride in which house they have been that they simply assume they'll be in the same as their ancestors and do not accept a member of their families to go to another house."

The girl seemed to become even more interested, "That is why your father called you over confident? But what happens in those families that don't accept some of their members being sorted in other houses?"

"Yes and in the best of cases, nothing, in the worst, they get disowned and hate each other to death", he said, remembering what Bella had once said about a cousin she had that had been sorted into Gryffindor.

The girl, Hermione, looked petrified, "That's horrible!", she said.

Harry shrugged, "Worse things have happened for less", he said nonchalantly.

"But how can you still sure you'll be Slytherin, even after what you told me?", she asked, seemingly recovering a bit.

Harry smiled, "I'm a lot like my father, Bella – that's my Aunt – always says so as well as the portrait of my Grandmother, and my father is a Slytherin through and through."

The girl looked confused, "Portrait?"

"That's it, you're done", said Madame Malkin and let Hermione off her platform just as a man dressed in Muggle clothes came into the store.

"Hurry up Hermione, your mother is waiting for us at the wand shop!", said the man, apparently the girl's father.

"Coming!", she said, "Nice to meet you, I'll see you again at the Hogwarts Express!", she yelled as she grabbed her package of new robes and hurried after her father to the wand shop.

When his robes were finished he walked out saw Lucius following an absurdly huge man through the street. Shrugging it off as another mission of his father he went to meet Draco at Flourish and Blotts and brought a bunch of books on the Dark Arts for light reading while he was at Hogwarts.

After that they met Lucius and went to the Apothecary to buy all kinds of ingredients for their Potions class and then to the other stores to buy cauldrons, telescopes and many other necessities. All the while having to drag Draco away from the window that showed the new Nimbus 2000.

"It's unfair, why can't first years take their brooms with them!", he would say over and over again.

All in all the best moment of the day for Harry came when they went to Ollivanders.

They entered the small shop cluttered with thousands of narrow boxes in which Harry assumed were all the wands.

"Ah, Hogwarts students", an old man gazed at them with his huge pale eyes, "Your names?", he asked.

"Draco Malfoy", Draco introduced himself.

"Harry Riddle", Harry did the same and Mr. Ollivander's gaze became even more intense.

"You resemble your father", he said, "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful", he said, his gaze never faltering.

"Which are your wand hands?", he asked them.

"Right handed", said Draco.

"Ambidextrous", said Harry.

Mr. Ollivander nodded and quickly went to the shelves, coming back moments later with a wand, "Right then. Mr. Malfoy. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible, just take it and give it a wave", he gave Draco the wand.

Draco had barely given it half a wave when Mr. Ollivanders abruptly snatched the wand out of his hand and gave to Harry.

Harry had barely done the same when it was snatched from his hand as well.

Next came the Maple and phoenix feather, seven inches and quite whippy one which went the same way as the previous one as well as the ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches and springy one and many others.

Harry tried and tried, and tried. Draco had long ago already had his wand and Harry was still trying and getting impatient with the old Ollivanders, who seemed to be enjoying himself far too much for Harry to continue considering him as a sane person.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere – I wonder, now – yes, why not – unusual combination – holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple", said Mr. Ollivanders as he handed him another one.

Harry had only touched the wand when he felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of green and silver sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.

"How curious. Yes, how very curious", said Mr. Ollivanders.

Harry, who was gazing interestingly at his new wand asked, "What is so curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother belongs to your father."

Harry's face suddenly cracked into a wide grin.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember. I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Riddle. After all, your father did great things – terrible, yes, but great."

After getting the twin wand of his father's wand nothing could put Harry off for the rest of the day. Especially after he had seen a rare gleam of pride pass though his father's eyes when he informed him about the twin wands. He had only seen that gleam in his father's eyes less than a handful of time throughout his lifetime and was relished the moment each time he saw it. And today was definitely one of the days he was going to be relishing for the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review and feel free to Britpick this thing, I would appreciate it. And if you notice a something that you think I could be better at please also tell me, constructive criticism is always welcome.


	3. The Hogwarts Express.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay folks!  
> Thank you for all the reviews I got and o far all I can say to your questions is that they'll get answered in the fic - eventually.
> 
> Other than that somebody asked why Harry is still called Harry and why didn't Voldie give him some fancy pureblood name. To answer that I think I could write a whole article and still have stuff left to say. So I'm gonna shorten it a bit here.
> 
> First point: Harry was already a year and a half old, to try to change a child's identity at that age and after all the stuff he'd just been through I don't think it would have been advisable, psychologically speaking.
> 
> Second Point: For this I have to say that I live in South America and that my first language is Spanish, which is closely related to Latin. Some of the names I've come across while reading fanfics that are so fancy and pureblood and Latin sound horrible to my Spanish ears. I have yet to find a story where Harry gets his name changed where I like his new name, they all just sound like the parents seriously hated their child to me.
> 
> Third Point: And I'm cutting it here because I don't like long ANs, but I still have many other reasons. My third point is that it takes away the familiarity. I'm not writing some character here with a new name and new manners, its Harry I'm trying to write here. I've literary spent hours thinking of how to make this story's Harry, Harry. The one from the books, not some character I created for this story.

When the first of September finally arrived Harry had believed he had everything packed, but what with Bella and her husband Rodolphus being at the Manor at that time Harry was in for a very busy morning, full of chasing objects he was sure he wouldn't need at Hogwarts.

Bella insisted on him taking a foe glass, a Sneakoscope, and almost ended up packing a shrunken head that she had gotten from somewhere.

"It's for good luck!", she had claimed when Harry found it in his trunk and threw it out his window in a fit of pique.

Voldemort, on the other hand, had confiscated all his Dark Arts books that he had brought at Flourish and Blotts for light reading, claiming that they would only get Harry expulsed from the school in his first week there, which caused yet another fit and another three broken windows.

Harry very rarely showed how truly spoilt he was, but the last week or so he had made no attempts at hiding it. Nothing in this world seemed enough or to be right. The house-elfs had a nightmarish time when they had to prepare him breakfast. One of his set of pyjamas was promptly burned in his room's fireplace when it was deemed as 'unfit' for being used at Hogwarts and the first shirt deemed too common was mysteriously lost on Monday, a week before departing for the Hogwarts Express, being followed throughout the week by five more shirts and a pair of shoes.

"Hurry up, I don't have the whole day!", yelled Voldemort as he paced though his study, ready to Floo to a shop near King's Cross for hours already.

Harry stormed into the room, "I can't get Bella to leave the toad here, I told her I won't have a toad, I told her last month I won't have a toad, I told her last week the same, I told her LAST NIGHT that I won't have her bloody toad!", he fumed.

Voldemort, already being used to Harry's sometimes spoilt attitude ignored him as if he wasn't there.

"MOVE IT!", he yelled.

"Dad can't I at least take one of the boo-"

"BELLA!"

"I'm here, I'm here, I couldn't find Harry's toad so he'll have to take the horrid owl Lucius and Narcissa gave him for his birthday as a pet instead", she explained as she hauled Harry's truck after her, "Rodolphus is still searching for it so we'll be leaving without him."

"But where is Hedwig?", asked Harry as he was pushed after Bella into the now emerald fire of the fireplace and given Floo powder.

"I'll send her to you, now move", Voldemort ushered him.

Moments later he was walking alongside Bella and Voldemort to King's Cross station, earning glances and looks from all the Muggles.

"We're here, but I don't see platform nine and three quarters", said Harry as he and Voldemort both looked around all the Muggles with distaste.

"Look, there", Bella pointed at one of the pillars, "There is the portal, now go through it", she said.

Harry blinked and turned up to his father, "Dad, I believe she's finally lost it", he said earnestly.

Voldemort rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Harry, or you walk through that portal right now or I myself shall throw you through it", he threatened.

Now, Harry knew his father to be capable of this, so he warily walked towards where Bella had pointed, pushing his cart slowly, desperately wondering what he was going to do now.

For the life of him he couldn't get how this portal worked, his hands were already sweating from the nervousness the ordeal was causing him.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.

"Packed with Muggles, of course -"

Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him – and they had an owl.

Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them, determined to follow them and learn how to get through this portal.

"Mom, can't I go-", one of the redheads – a little girl – asked the plump woman.

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

Harry now strained his hearing as he stared intently at the redheads. What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it – but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of Muggles came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.

"Damn it!", he muttered.

"Fred, you next", the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George", said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred", said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone .

Harry blinked.

"Oh", he said in realization

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there – and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

Pushing his cart he positioned himself to go through the portal before the last boy of the plump woman could go through.

Taking a deep breath he positioned himself on a straight path towards the very solid looking portal.

Terribly solid looking.

"First time to Hogwarts, dear?", he heard the plump woman ask.

Forcing himself mask his face from all nervousness he felt he turned to look at the woman. Judging from the understanding empathic look she was giving he had failed.

"Best do it in a run", she smiled.

Nervously he nodded and once again eyed his objective. Taking a deep breath he broke into a run and closed his eyes as he neared the still very solid looking wall.

The expected crush never came and suddenly he found himself standing in an all new all place, full of witches and wizards and sign with the words Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

Harry was eyeing the crowd with some uncertainty as the plump came behind him with her little daughter and asked, "Are you alright now?"

"Yeah", he swallowed, "Dad's here – somewhere", he hoped, he really hoped his father hadn't just gotten bored of watching him struggle with the portal and went back home.

"Oh, good then", smiled the woman and went to say good-bye to her sons.

"My, my, weren't we nervous?", he suddenly heard behind him and spun around to find his father smiling amusingly at him.

Letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding he let Bella – who was wearing a black veil now – hug him and whisper that she'd been writing him every week.

Next he turned to his father who was still smiling at him.

"You remember the rules?", his father asked him.

"Don't look into Dumbledore's eyes, don't support Death Eaters or any kind of Dark Arts in public, don't trust Dumbledore, don't tell anybody, under any circumstances who my father actually is, don't go near Dumbledore and study hard", he recited dutifully to his father.

"Good", said Voldemort and then enveloped Harry in a tight embrace, "Go make your father proud, and stop with that over confidence of being sorted in Slytherin."

"But father, I am going to be in Slytherin", said Harry as he still held tightly on his father, saying it more out of custom to annoy his father than anything else.

"Harry", warned Voldemort as he broke their embrace and sighed when he saw his son's cheeky grin.

"Look after yourself and do try come back home in one piece", said Voldemort and Harry knew that was the closest his father was going to come to say 'I love you' in public.

Harry nodded and whispered so that only his father could hear him, "Don't let Bella try get me another toad – she's not going to find the old one."

"Oh?", said Voldemort with a raised eyebrow.

But before Harry could explain further there was a huge commotion coming from the train as it was now moments from leaving the station.

"I have to go now!", he grabbed his trunk and pushed it hastily towards the train as he shouted, "Bye Dad! Bye Bella!", and then hurried into the train hauling his trunk behind him as he walked past the plump woman's sons who were all waving at her now and shouting something about a toilet seat.

The train was in motion now. Almost all the compartments were already full and packed with strangers.

After a while he found Draco's compartment, which unsurprisingly, was full as well.

"Draco!", he greeted his friend and then saw both Crabbe and Goyle sitting on both sides of his friend, "What are they doing here?", he asked and glanced at the other side of the compartment and saw Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode sitting there.

"Hello Harry, nice to see you too, I'm fine, thank you for asking", said Draco.

"What are they doing here?", asked Harry again, ignoring what Draco said.

"Father arranged it all", said Draco smugly, "My own two body guards for throughout the whole year, of course you will be protected as well and-"

"Protected? I don't need to be protected and much less by the likes of Crabbe and Goyle!", he said angrily as the two boys just blinked stupidly at him, not even catching his insult.

"Harry, be reasonable-"

"I'm not dependent on other people Draco, I'm more cunning than that", he said angrily.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Again with that story? You've been driving me mad all summer with your absolute certainty that you'll be in Slytherin, I almost hope that you end up another house just so you can stop being so smug about it."

"What did you say?", he asked, his voice cold and low.

Draco seemed to realize the damage his words had just caused and was immediately on his feet, "Harry, I'm sorry I didn't mean-"

"Good-bye Draco, I'll be seeing you tomorrow – or perhaps – yes, I'll see next week. Next week sounds like an excellent time to see you again", said Harry and slammed the door of the compartment shut and made his way down the corridor, still hauling his trunk behind him.

"Idiot, arrogant, prick", he muttered under his breath until he finally found a compartment with only one boy in it, the same redhead son of the woman who'd help him at the station.

"May I?", he motioned at seat opposite to the boy.

"Um, sure", said the boy although he didn't look too happy about having him there.

Without saying any sort of thank-you's he shut the door behind him and began starting to haul his trunk towards the corner of the compartment and finally took seat across the boy as he regained his breath.

"First year as well?", he asked.

"Um, yeah", the boy nodded.

Harry sighed as he relaxed into his seat, "I almost thought we weren't leaving home today, my Aunt kept trying to pack extra stuff into my trunk and almost forced me to bring my toad", he scowled as he remember the slippery reptile.

"So you don't have a pet?", asked the boy.

"I still have my owl", explained Harry, "Though my Aunt insisted she be the one to gift me with my school pet."

"And she gave you a toad?", said the boy and then, apparently in an afterthought added, "At least it's better than a rat", he motioned at the snoozing animal on his lap.

"This is Scabbers, got him from Percy after he was made prefect and got an owl as reward", told the boy.

"Believe me, anything is better than a toad, even a sleeping rat", said Harry and this seemed to cheer the boy up a bit.

"What happened to your toad then, if you didn't bring it?", asked the boy.

"I fed it to the Ghoul that lives in our barn", said Harry with a smirk.

"Cool! We have a Ghoul too, though it lives in our attic", the boy smiled brightly, "I'm Ron, sorry for not introducing myself earlier, but I saw you go into the compartment with Malfoy in it and I thought you were friends", said Ron as he held out his hand and Harry shook it.

"I'm Harry, and he is – I mean Draco, he is my friend", Harry saw a look close akin to horror go through Ron's face.

"But he's a Malfoy! And you – and – and Malfoy's are all uptight and never speak with the likes of me and you – you're nothing like him! And why are you here if you are his friend?", asked Ron, now looking defensive.

"Draco can be arrogant, but once you look past all that he isn't actually all that bad", said Harry, "Besides, I'm not speaking to him right now."

That seemed to catch Ron off guard, "Why?", he asked.

"As I said, he can be very arrogant, and sometimes it's more difficult than other times to look past it."

"Blimey, and still you're his mate?", asked Ron.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly.

From there on Ron seemed to warm up more to Harry and they both ended up chatting happily until they reached the Quidditch topic.

"What do you mean you haven't ever played Quidditch?", yelled Ron.

"Sweet Merlin Ron, it's not a crime not to play Quidditch, stop acting like I confessed to the Unforgivables or something", said Harry as he watched the other boy splutter.

"Yes, but not having played the game ever?!", Ron shook his head, "I don't think that I've ever met somebody like that."

Harry shrugged, "It's a waste of time, plus, I doubt my father would approve of it. Probably would say something among the lines of 'you have better things to do with your time'."

Ron scowled, "He's very strict then, isn't he?"

Harry nodded.

They continued to talk till the cart arrived, which Harry quickly almost emptied as he claimed to be starving from not having a proper breakfast and shared a fair bit with Ron, who in turn kept telling entertaining stories about his twin brothers.

After nearly half of the voyage was over the girl Harry had met at Madame Malkin's appeared at the door with a teary round faced boy standing behind her.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one", she said in a bossy tone of voice.

Harry grimaced as Ron said, "No."

"Lost toad, terrible business that, but I say, good day to you Hermione!", he stood up to greet the girl, after all, he was a gentleman.

"Oh, hello! Um – you're – um-"

"Harry", he smiled, "I never introduced myself, but say, toad boy-"

"Neville", corrected Hermione.

"Neville", he began, "Was this toad-"

"T-trevor", stuttered the boy.

"Trevor, was he with you when you arrived at your compartment?"

"Y-yes", Neville nodded.

"Was he still there when the train set out?"

Neville nodded again.

"Well, then I don't see why's the fuss, it's obviously on the train, and if you find it now it'll escape at least five times more before we arrive at Hogwarts, if not more", Harry said calmly and sat back down among his stack of sweets.

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows and Neville asked, "How do you know?"

"I had a toad, up till this morning, but I got rid of it", he smirked.

Neville gaped at him, "Y-you killed it?"

"He fed it to his Ghoul, I don't think that counts as kill", said Ron as he stuffed another Chocolate Frog into his mouth.

Neville gulped.

"Calm down, I won't do anything to your toad, for now I suggest you sit down and go back to your search some fifteen or twenty minutes before we arrive at Hogsmeade", said Harry and watched the boy visibly relax and sit down beside Ron.

"I promised Mum I'd look after him", he said as Ron handed him a pumpkin pasty, "She promised that if I looked after him properly she and Dad'll get me an owl next year."

"Oh, I wished I had an owl, they're so adorable", cooed Hermione as she sat beside Harry.

"Fortunately Hogwarts has a large owlery for all the students to use, I read it in Hogwarts, A History."

"What is that?", asked Neville as he pointed his pumpkin pasty free hand at Harry's forehead.

"Oh – that is – a – a scar", said Harry as he attempted to hide it behind his bangs.

"How did you get it?", asked Ron.

"I –", he began a bit nervously, not really sure what he should say now.

Suddenly, the compartment door was swung open by none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Oi! Get out!", yelled Ron as Harry almost felt glad at seeing Draco again – almost.

"Yeah, see you next week Draco", said Harry and pointedly turned to stare out at the window.

Though Draco seemed not to have heard him.

"Harry what are you doing with the likes of this people? Do you have any idea what your father'll say?!"

Harry huffed, "Draco I am perfectly aware of what my father has or not to say, now, if you excuse me I'll see you next week."

"Next week?", asked Hermione, obviously confused.

"Oh it's him and his 'I'm totally going to be in Slytherin' chant, it's been driving me mad the whole summer!"

"Hermione, close the door, I think the noise of the next compartment is coming in", said Harry as he continued gazing out the window.

But before Hermione could do anything Draco spoke again, though this time apologizing profusely.

"Please Harry, you know that I didn't mean what I said. I came to make up with you!"

"And yet you come and tell me with who I can or not speak with", shot Harry, now glaring at Draco and ignored the shock look on Ron's face, who apparently had no idea a Malfoy was capable of apologizing.

"I'm just trying to save you from one of your father's lectures!", countered Draco, also looking angry now.

"What lectures I get from my father is none of your business Draco!", yelled Harry.

"You hate his lectures!"

"I hate it even more that you try to give them to me!"

"BOYS!", Hermione suddenly yelled as she stood up, effectively placing the attention of everyone in the compartment on her, even stunned looking Ron and uncomfortable looking Neville.

"Harry", she turned to Harry, "He was just trying to help you and I'm sure he's learned his lesson and won't try to lecture you again, Right?!", she now rounded on Draco who was still to shocked at having his argument with Harry interrupted to respond.

"And whatever you said to Harry to upset him, you won't say it again, right?", she asked in a clipped tone, "Good", she turned to Harry again before he could answer her, "And you will be forgiving Draco, right?"

Both boys just gawked at her.

"She's just like my Mum", said Ron to Neville as Hermione shot both Harry and Draco filthy glares.

Finally, Draco gave in and slumped down besides Harry and said softly, "Sorry for saying I hoped you end up in another house."

Harry was still on half a mind of just brushing Draco's apology off but the fierce glare Hermione was shooting at him made him nod and murmur, "Apology accepted."

Draco beamed at him, "Really? This must be a first, normally you get away with not talking to me for days or weeks."

Harry shrugged, "Here, have a Chocolate Frog."

Draco relaxed further into his seat as he took the sweet, "Thanks. Now, why are you here again – not questioning your company or anything", he added quickly before Harry could have a go at him again.

Harry shrugged, "Ron tells excellent stories about his brothers and Neville and Hermione were both chasing a toad, so I told them what I did with mine."

"You had a toad?", asked Draco, taken aback.

Harry nodded, "Up till this morning, Aunt Bella gave it to me. Named it Salazar of all names."

Draco snorted, "Sounds like something my Aunt would do."

"Wait, your Aunt?", asked a poleaxed Ron, "You mean you're cousins?"

Draco and Harry glanced at each other.

"Well-"

"Not really-"

"Something close to it-"

"But you don't look like any one related to the Malfoys", said Ron as he gazed at Harry, as if trying to see any resemblance between him and Draco.

"What would you know Weasley?", sneered Draco.

Ron's ears immediately began to turn red, "Explain yourself!", he demanded.

"Don't jump to his jibe, Ron", advised Harry. As much as he really liked to see fights and chaos he had already had his share of that this morning and he didn't want any more of it just right now.

"On who's side are you on?", asked Draco.

"On the side of having a calm ride to Hogwarts. Besides", he now turned to Ron, "Draco just loves to anger people, he'll tell them anything to anger them and then mock them when he wins the fight."

"That's not true!", argued Draco.

"You told me that my Grandmother was the ugliest woman you'd ever seen in your life", deadpanned Harry, causing a round of snickers to go around the other three children who were watching, "Do I have to remind you how well that went with her portrait, what with me being her favorite grandson?"

"You're her only grandson!", countered Draco, who was now sitting relaxed back in his seat, interest lost in angering Ron.

"Her portrait?", asked Hermione, "Like one of those life portraits that act just as the people they were painted as? I hear Hogwarts has hundreds of them, I read about them in Hogwarts, A History."

"Yeah, some wizarding families have those", said Ron.

"My Gran has one of my Grandfather", supplied Neville.

"In Malfoy Manor we have a couple of them, though nowhere as much as Harry has in his Manor", said Draco, with an air of smugness, "They even have one of Salazar Slytherin himself."

Hermione Oohed as she stared at Harry with interest, "That's why you want to be in Slytherin right? Because you speak with his portrait in your house!"

"Actually, no", said Harry, "His portrait actually hates me."

"He set it on fire when he was five", added Draco with a snicker.

"Draco!", exclaimed Harry, scandalized.

"It was almost beyond repair, it took months to restore it", Draco continued to tell to the amusement of all except Harry.

"Shut it!", hissed Harry.

"You should have seen his father's reaction, I've never seen anyone go apoplectic like that, I almost thought he was about to have some sort of fit", giggled Draco, though his amusement was short lived as Harry kicked him viciously in the shins, effectively silencing him.

From then on the rest of the train ride went without any mayor incidents, Draco didn't terrorize Ron any further, Ron came actually to not mind being in the same compartment as a Malfoy, Hermione kept quoting Hogwarts, A History, and Neville seemed not to be as shy as he first looked like now that he wasn't fretting over his toad.

"And then my little brother shoved my little sister into the Devil's Snare plant, it took me hours to free her, promised myself never again and actually went to read a book about them", said Neville as he, Harry, Draco, Hermione and Ron all helped to find Trevor few minutes before the Express arrived at Hogsmead.

"A book about what? Devil's Snare or little obnoxious siblings?", asked Harry as he checked yet under another seat in a compartment full of second years.

"Devil's Snare", answered Neville, "He's not here, I can't find him, what if I never find him, Mum'll be furious!"

"Calm down", said Harry, "Let's go check on Ron and Draco, with some luck they might have actually managed not to rip each other apart."

As it turned out Trevor had been hiding in the boy's bathroom and had been found by one of Ron's twin brothers.

"Slippery things, toads are", said one of the twins sagely as Neville forced Trevor into his Hogwarts cloak.

"You shouldn't let it out of the dorms", added the other twin.

"I second that, I don't know how many more toad hunts I'll be able to endure", said Draco with a scowl.

Lastly, the train arrived at Hogsmeade and all the children disembarked the train, first years all huddled together.

"I heard my father say that first years have special way of getting to the castle", said Draco excitedly, "He wouldn't tell me how, but he said it was the first and last time you get to get to Hogwarts on that way."

"Couldn't he be less cryptic?", asked Harry.

A lamp came then bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a deep booming voice say, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

"Isn't that the ground keeper?", asked Draco as all the first years walked towards him.

"Yeah, his name's Hagrid", supplied Ron.

"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

Harry gazed in awe at the huge castle. The place his father had come to consider his home when he was a boy. Harry could truly not imagine how he wasn't going to have the same wonderful experience as his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Neville's parents are still alive. Why? Well - that's gonna take some time to come up in the story. I don't think I'll be making any drastic changes from canon right now, things will seriously start to livin up in the thrid year though.
> 
> Please review and feel free to nitpick and Britpick my story. After all, I want to become a better author!


	4. The Sorting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Concerning some reviews about the similarities between this story and the story it was inspired by, I feel I have to say that things will start to be getting form soon. The beginning is slow, but as the second year comes rolling in things will start to get a move on and by the end of the third year the official plot of the story will start kicking in at full. So all I can ask of you is patience, cause this story IS different from the one it was inspired of, it'll just take some time for it to become apparent.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Draco were followed into their boat by Neville and Ron. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then – FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that she was probably the strictest teacher.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid the ground keeper.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide.

The entrance hall was so big you could have fit a whole small house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones in Riddle Manor's dungeons, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important-"

Harry tuned her out after that, focusing all his attention instead on containing his nerves and not start fidgeting.

"-earn your house points-"

Harry took a deep breath and looked at his side to see the normally pale Draco a little paler than normal.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville and Ron.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber and instantly a whispered chatter erupted on what exactly did the Sorting go about.

"-Fred said it hurts a lot-", he heard a bit of what Ron was telling Neville.

Thanking Merlin that his father had explained to him about the Sorting Hat and he wasn't in the trembling Neville or scared Ron's place Harry took pity on the boys. It wasn't normal for him to do that, but the two boys had offered him nice companionship during the Express ride – and he preferred his associates un-trembling and un-cowering in fear from the prospect of beating a Troll. Because really? A Troll? How they even believed that was still a mystery to Harry.

"It doesn't hurt, your brother pulled your leg", he informed Ron.

Neville visibly relaxed.

"How does it work then?", asked Ron.

But before Harry could answer several children jumped and screamed as some Ghosts came gliding into the chamber.

Harry felt Draco clung to his sleeve as a Ghost with his front covered in blood glided by.

Rolling his eyes he greeted the Ghosts, "I say, good evening to you my fellow gentlemen!"

"New students!" said a Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

"Yes, we are", he said confidently and a few people nodded mutely around him.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "And follow me."

Taking yet another deep breath Harry fell into the line and marched into the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.

Glancing around the Hall Harry's eyes fell on the ceiling as he heard Hermione explain the magical qualities it possessed. Even Harry had to admit that it was impressive.

Harry looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. And then it began to sing.

Harry only paid attention to the part dedicated to Slytherin.

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

All around him Harry heard the other first years audibly relax and behind him he heard Ron mutter something about 'killing Fred' and 'a Troll'.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted", she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down.

A moment later and the Hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

After that the names followed as of, 'Bones', 'Boot', 'Brocklehurst', 'Brown', 'Bulstrode', 'Finch-Fletchley', 'Finnigan', and then, "Granger, Hermione!"

Harry blinked. Granger? He had been sure she was part of some pureblood family, what with all her knowledge, probably just a disorientated future Ravenclaw who asked way too many questions and came from a poor family or something. But a Mudblood?

Harry shook his head. He had to give it to her, she hid it pretty well.

"GRYFFINDOR!", shouted the Hat and Harry had to fight to hide his scowl.

He was disappointed.

And when only a few minutes later Neville Longbottom was sorted into Gryffindor as well Harry's disappointed only deepened.

Shortly after 'Morag' Draco's name was called and he swaggered forward, the Hat barely touching his head before it called, "SLYTHERIN!"

The list went on with 'Moon', 'Nott', 'Parkinson', 'Patil' and 'Patil', a pair of twins, 'Perks', and then finally, "R-Riddle, Harry."

Harry smirked as saw all the looks of shock mingled with fear of the staff members. It gave him more than enough confidence to saunter up to the stool with a definite air of superiority.

The hat was placed on his head as soon as he had sat down and obscured his vision of the Great Hall.

"Hmm", said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting – so where shall I put you?"

"Slytherin", he silently prayed with all his hope.

"Slytherin? Are you sure?", asked the Hat, "You would do great in Gryffindor with all your courage."

"Not Gryffindor, not Gryffindor!", he prayed harder.

"Not Gryffindor, eh? Oh well, then you'd better be –

SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table applauded fiercely, some of the student even standing up to applaud as he gave a subtle sigh of relief and walked towards his new house table.

"Took you long enough!", said Draco with a grin as Harry took seat beside him.

"Shut up", snapped Harry as he watched intently the High Table, specifically Dumbledore. If the old coot had ever been shocked at his presence he had already hid it masterfully.

The sorting continued and Ron was eventually sorted into Gryffindor, causing Harry to groan. Had he really just spend the day with future Gryffindors? No wonder the Hat had tried to sort him into it as well.

The Great Hall went silent as Dumbledore now rose from his chair, "Welcome," he began, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are, Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!", he finished and back down and all the tables filled with food.

Harry blinked. His father had always called Dumbledore a lunatic, but he had always assumed it to be a mere insult, never would he have thought that it was a fact based statement.

"Utterly mad", he muttered and began enjoying his dinner, every now and then engaging in conversation with one or two of the older Slytherins who seemed a tad too desperate for his goodwill.

"And you know Harry, you should see our summer Manor in Morocco, it is beautiful at summer time", an older boy, Montague, was telling Harry.

"Aha", Harry said disinterestedly as he pushed away his pudding plate and gazed boringly at the High Table where Severus was talking in hushed tones with Professor McGonagall.

At least could be more than sure that Severus would treat him well here. The Death Eater spy had been one of the few Harry had proclaimed as worthy enough to be spoken to when he was yet a small child.

At last, after the desserts disappeared, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahern – just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

Harry tuned out the rest of the speech and only caught snippets of it and also saw the very obvious stare he threw at Ron's twin brothers.

Finally, the rather pointless speech was over and they were all dismissed.

Harry hadn't even given five steps away from his house table when Severus stopped him.

"Mr. Riddle, the Headmaster wishes to see you, I'll guide you to his office and back to your common room", he said and began walking out of the Hall.

Resisting the urge to stop and stare at more than one point as they walked through the impressive castle Harry began concentrating on bringing up his Occlumency walls. He'd promised his father over and over again that his Occluding skills were advanced enough to stop any sort of invasion Dumbledore might attempt into his mind – discreetly – because if the old codger went ahead and made an open, obvious attack, Harry would by no means be able to stop him.

Walking up a flight of stairs of the round stairway Severus opened the door and led him into a room, walls packed with portraits and little tables full of silvery trinkets Harry couldn't even begin to name.

But the room didn't only contain funny trinkets and dozens of portraits. Dumbledore himself was seated behind a beautiful desk and standing near the fireplace were all the other Professors of Hogwarts.

"Mr. Riddle, please take a seat", said Dumbledore in a kind voice.

Harry sat on the chair in front of the headmaster's desk, not looking into his eyes.

"I trust you know why you are here?", asked Dumbledore.

Knowing that it was no use to try and pretend Harry said as clearly and as confidently as he could, "Yes, I do."

"Good", said Dumbledore, "Would like a lemon drop?"

"What?", Harry blinked, barely resisting the urge to look up into his eyes to see if he was serious.

"A lemon drop", repeated the Headmaster and held a small plate with sweets for Harry to take.

Feeling rather foolish for losing his cool like that he answered crossly, "No."

"Oh well then", said Dumbledore and took one for himself.

"Imagine my surprise, Mr. Riddle, when I heard your name being called today in the Great Hall. It has been many years since our letter delivery service was automatized so I never knew of your existence before tonight's events", said Dumbledore and Harry could now feel his intense gaze upon him.

"May I ask Mr. Riddle, who is your mother?"

Harry felt his face burn at the question, how dare he?!

Momentarily forgetting all the rules and promises he'd made his father he met Dumbledore's eyes and spat, "My mother died when I was an infant. Murdered. Who knows, perhaps it was one of your Order's work?"

"I am sorry to hear about her demise", said Dumbledore though Harry doubted he felt sorry at all, "I trust you will behave yourself your best while you stay here at Hogwarts, Mr. Riddle."

Looking away Harry answered, "I am here as a student, Professor."

Dumbledore seemed to be trying to sum him up for a moment and then spoke again, "That will be all Mr. Riddle, you are dismissed."

Without as much as another glance to anybody in the room Harry marched out and didn't stop until he was in the corridor, not knowing the way to his common room.

"That didn't go too bad", said Severus with a sigh as he came behind him and guided him to his common room.

Once dropped off at his common room and given the password Harry was shown his new shared room by Draco.

Halting at the door of his dorm bedroom he stared at the six four poster beds in the room.

"Abysmally small, I know", said Draco as he threw himself on his bed, "Though I have to admit that the beds are blissful."

"We're sharing with Crabbe and Goyle?", he asked with a certain amount of distaste.

"What do you have against them?", asked Draco as he got up and rummaged through his trunk for his pajamas.

"Isn't their total lack of brains enough for you?", asked Harry as he did the same and got out his silvery pajamas with emerald embroidery.

Draco snickered, "They have their purposes."

"But none of them are to spend my time with them – much less as a friend."

Draco sighed, "Tell you what, they follow me around the school, but as soon as we're in the dungeons they'll leave us alone, deal?"

Harry considered this for a moment, "Deal", he agreed and flopped into his bed, fully clad in his silvery pajamas.

"Good night, Draco", said Harry as he closed the curtain just before the rest of his dorm mates arrived for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! As always, you are free to nitpick and Britpick on the story.
> 
> Please Review as well!


	5. Lessons And Awkward Weasleys

Harry was about to scream in frustration. All the first year Slytherins had been mercilessly left to their own devises on their very first day of classes. After receiving their schedules at breakfast and receiving their morning owls they were all ushered into the main corridor and told to go to classes. Of course Marcus Flint, Slytherin prefect, had given them directions to all their classes during breakfast, but half of the Slytherin table was still asleep at that time. And even though Harry liked to brag with his good memory, not even he could remember all those complicated directions.

"I think we have to go one floor down", he said to the terrified group of first years.

"No, that is the way to Herbology, not Transfiguration", said Draco.

"Then you should lead us!", snapped Harry.

"Don't bite my head off just because we're lost!", shouted Draco.

"We're lost!", shrieked Pansy, looking close to a nervous collapse.

"Great! I hope you're happy now Draco!", said Harry sarcastically.

"What is all this commotion?", asked an older girl with the Ravenclaw badge on her robes.

"We're lost!", wailed Theodore Nott.

"Oh dear, what's your first class?", she asked.

"Transfiguration", answered Draco.

"Oh good, you might still be on time, come on", she quickly guided the group to their class room, which turned out to be not too far away.

"You are late!", said Professor McGonagall in a clipped tone as they all filled in their class with the Ravenclaws.

"Sorry Professor, we got lost and had a Head Girl guide us here", explained Blaise.

But his explanation must not have been good enough as she treated them all quite horribly. Even her impressive demonstration of turning her desk into a pig and back was deterred due to her overly strict tendencies – especially with Harry. All the other students were awarded points for their various attempts at turning a matchstick into a needle and even though Harry had been one of the first to master the feat she had instead only criticized his needle, pointing out its flaws and Harry's lack of interest in her class. It was a small miracle that she hadn't docked him points along the way.

Never before had Harry experienced any other person treat him so strictly that it verged on light torture. This, mingled with the obvious hate she felt towards him made the class nothing short of true torture.

The next class of Charms with the Hufflepuffs was only a bit better. Although Professor Flitwick obviously also hated him, he did a better job at hiding it and only stared at him weirdly when Harry learned the new charm first of everybody else in the class. He wasn't awarded points in that class either.

Needless to say, the rest of Harry's classes that day didn't go any better, except perhaps Quirrell's class, where the man stuttered way too much to convey any sort of feeling towards anybody.

"I hate them, each and everyone of them", muttered Harry as he sat in the Slytherin common room waiting for Draco's bodyguards to arrive to go to the Great Hall and have breakfast on their first Friday at the school.

"Don't let the teachers get at you Harry", said Draco in an uncharacteristic show of empathy.

"I'm not talking about the teachers", muttered Harry darkly.

"No?", asked Draco, taken aback.

"No, I'm talking about them", Harry waved at the rest of the Slytherins in the common room. Every second one smiling or waving at him. It had been happening to him the whole week, the reputation of his father coupled with his warning to all his Death Eaters for their children to treat his only son with utmost respect and reverence had effectively left a good portion of the Slytherin House being either ridiculously friendly or desperately trying to make a good impression. By the end of this first week the whole House had already caught up that Harry came from a powerful family and had also started to join in the attempts to end in Harry's good graces.

"Pathetic", he scowled.

"You must be the first Slytherin hating to have almost all his house worshiping him", said Draco as he shook his head and waved back at a sixth year that had waved at Harry, which promptly ignored him.

"At least we'll have Potions today", Harry got up from his arm chair, "Severus'll neither hate nor mollycoddle me", he said relieved.

Just as Harry had predicted, that Friday he had his best lesson yet. Watching Severus torment and scare all the other first years, even Neville whimpering as Severus rounded on him like a bat proved to be fairly amusing. Though Harry knew how to hide it, he wasn't going to be parading his dislike for Gryffindors like Draco and the other Slytherins did. He knew perfectly well that it wouldn't bode well for his person as Gryffindors, though brave and all that, were still known for their love to torment Slytherins.

Just when Harry and Draco's potion was being congratulated, Neville had yet again the misfortune of messing up, this time in the form of Seamus' melted cauldron.

But even as all good things have to begin, they also have to end and before Harry himself knew it the classes for the day was over and he was nearing his first weekend at Hogwarts.

"I'm bored", proclaimed Harry as he sat across Draco at a small table in the common room.

"Then why did you finish your homework so quickly?", said Draco as he scribbled on his parchment.

"It was too easy", complained Harry and sighed, "I'm going for a walk and don't you dare tell Crabbe or Goyle to follow me", he ordered and left.

For the first time in a week Harry felt at ease again. Walking through the corridors and occasionally pausing to look at a portrait or an armoire, Harry almost felt as if it was worth it to be here. And when he found the library he truly felt at home.

Strolling through the shelves and shelves of books, the only sound being of his boots clicking on the floor, a deep smell of books in the air reminded Harry of his own home's library and the hours he'd spend there, reading his father's books.

"Harry!", he heard somebody whisper his name and spun around.

"Hermione!", he said softly and walked to her table where she was reading a stack of books. She was using one of the back tables, hidden at the far end of the library.

"How have you been?", he asked her, eager to speak to anybody who wouldn't worship or hate him, even if it was a Mudblood.

"Oh, it has been wonderful! Everything is just so fantastic and the lessons have been really interesting", Hermione beamed, "And you?"

"It – has been acceptable", he said lamely, "Most of the things they teach my father or Aunt have already taught me."

"It must be wonderful, being from a wizarding family", her eyes shined with curiosity.

Harry smirked, "I mistook you for being from one of the older wizarding families you know."

"R-really?", she blushed.

"Yep, you really must have done a thorough research before coming to Hogwarts."

Her blush deepened, "I just didn't want to be behind."

"So what are you looking up?", he asked before she could blush any further.

"Oh!", she snapped back into her bossy mode and began rummaging through her bag, "Here."

She handed him a copy of the Daily Prophet.

Harry took the copy with curiosity and read the headlines.

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

"Somebody broke into Gringotts?", he said, surprised.

"I know! Isn't it supposed to be the best guarded place in the wizarding world?", she said, "I've been reading about Gringotts for the whole week, trying to see if anybody has ever been able to do it before."

"You could have just asked. Its common knowledge that something like this has never happened before", said Harry as he gazed at the moving picture on the newspaper, wondering if his father had anything to do with this.

"But then I wouldn't have anything to do! It only takes so long to finish my homework and besides, I learn more about the wizarding world this way."

"But what about Ron and Neville? Aren't you friends?", asked Harry.

Hermione dropped her gaze to her book with a sigh, "Ron is most of the time with Seamus and Dean and Neville – well Neville is pretty much on his own", she said the last part with a wince, "Why aren't you with Draco? Did you fight again?", she narrowed her eyes at him.

"No, I just got bored in the Slytherin common room, it gets stuffing down there."

"They all seem to love you."

"Yeah, my father had a talk with Draco's father who in turn had a talk with all the other parents of children in Slytherin, I have no idea what he told them, but I'm guessing it was something big. And at least here I can have a normal conversation."

Hermione seemed to like the idea of not having to be alone at the library anymore and continued to chat with him till dinner time. By that time Harry had even joined her in her reading and they compared little facts of what they read with each other.

Walking towards the Great Hall he felt most of his up-building stress dissipated. Having a normal conversation, even if it was with a know-it-all Mudblood, was really an improvement on what he had been enduring for the whole week.

Just as he was walking through another corridor, it happened.

Harry looked up and saw Ron walk and stare at him strangely, not moving in the sea of students and unwavering in his gaze. Harry hadn't even want to speak with him since he was now in Gryffindor, but seeing him act this strangely he took a step towards him to ask what his problem was.

Before he could even give his second step towards Ron, the boy quickly looked away and scurried towards a group of first year Hufflepuffs that were walking by.

And not five seconds later it happened again.

A boy that Harry remembered from the Sorting to be named Terry Boot was walking with his fellow Ravenclaws and suddenly stopped to look at him defiantly. He stood like that for a few seconds and then hastily ran to keep up with the other Ravenclaws.

"What the hell was that?", asked Harry aloud.

And Harry would continue to wonder the same for many days to come. Multiple times he saw not only Ron eye him strangely, but his twin brothers as well. Their older brother, the prefect, was doing an excellent job of ignoring him and Boot continued to throw him dirty looks, which got more and more aggressive with the days.

Fortunately Harry had made it a habit to go to the library every day and speak with Hermione. Speaking with her every day and having the only intelligent conversations he'd had since he arrived at Hogwarts, except perhaps for Draco, Harry found himself being actually able to look past the fact that she was a Mudblood. Though he still saw her as a know-it-all.

At first it was only him and Hermione, but by the middle of the third week Neville had also joined them. Although he barely read anything, Harry accepted him as a nice distraction for when he wasn't in the mood of having an in-depth discussion slash lecture packed with quotes of 'Hogwarts A History' with Hermione over something.

All in all, Harry was actually beginning to like their company.

Though Draco didn't approve at the beginning.

"Why do you keep meeting up with them?", asked Draco angrily as Harry walked to the library at the start of their fourth week at school.

"Because I'm tired of having half of Slytherin licking my boots", said Harry with a certain amount of exasperation, yesterday, a second year had literary offered to polish his boots for him, though not by licking, but still, "Plus, I only started it to have an intelligent conversation for a change, Neville just came along a few days ago."

"What am I then? Crabbe and Goyle?", asked Draco crossly.

"No, but you refuse to leave Slytherin common room and every time I go near it one of the older students corner me and speak of the wonders of their family or the fantastical summer houses they have at exotic places around the world", said Harry with a scowl.

"I get it Harry, but a Mudblood?", asked Draco as if it physically pained him, "It can't be so bad that you prefer to spend time with a Mudblood!"

"Draco, just today Adrian Pucey invited me to spent summer with him at Chad, kilometres into the Sahara", deadpanned Harry.

Draco winced, "Yes, his Uncle has a research there, doesn't he", he whispered at they entered the library.

Harry shrugged, "Don't know but at least I can go to the library without being irritated. Hi, Hermione", he said as he sat at her side.

"Hi Harry, hi Draco. Who's irritating you now?"

"Pucey. But never mind him, there comes Neville."

Just as he said so Neville came running towards their table, grinning madly, "Hi guys, you'll never guess what I got!"

"What?", asked Harry and Hermione at the same time.

Searching though his robes Neville got out a small red misty coloured ball and showed it to all of them.

Draco gasped, "It's a Remembrall!"

"What's a Remembrall?", asked Hermione.

"It's a ball that changes colour if you've forgotten something, like right now, being red means Neville's forgotten something", explained Harry, he'd gotten one a few years ago from Dolohov, but had long since lost it.

"It's been red ever since I got it this morning", explained Neville with a frown, "But I still can't remember what I forgot."

"Here, let me see", advanced Draco, but Neville quickly hid it back in his cloak.

"Nu-huh, Terry Boot already tried to snatch it this morning outside the Great Hall", said Neville as he moved away from Draco.

"Terry Boot the Ravenclaw? Stealing?", Draco looked confused, "What's a Ravenclaw trying to steal a Remembrall for?"

"Yes, what for indeed", said Harry as he thought about it. Boot was apparently capable of more than mere dirty looks.

"He almost had me there you know, but Ron's twin brothers came by and gave me a hand", Neville sat down across Hermione, leaving Draco no other place but to sit at his side.

"I think I should be able to find a book on Remembralls", mused Hermione and suddenly rushed to the bookshelves.

"Oh well, something extra to read", Harry opened a book that detailed the foundation of Gringotts.

Draco made a face as he read all the titles of the books, "Most of these books are about Goblins and Gringotts."

"They've been researching it since the break-in", explained Neville, now gazing into his Remembrall.

Draco blinked, "What? Why?"

Harry shrugged, "We were bored."

"I got a few books that might say something on Remembralls", said Hermione as she came back with five new books.

"This is insane", said Draco as he eyed all the books now on the table and Neville nodded in agreement.

"It's not that bad", said Hermione as she tried to make space for her new pile of books amongst her other skyscraper high book mounds. She looked up for a moment and then waved at the end of the library.

Harry looked up from his book and saw Ron walking around some bookshelves and give half a wave back until he saw Harry and then scurried away.

"That was odd", commented Hermione.

"You can say that again", said Draco, who had also witnessed the interaction.

"Don't mind him, he's been acting like that for weeks", said Harry nonchalantly as he continued with his book.

"Weeks?", gaped Neville, "Why?"

Shrugging Harry lifted the book and showed them all a picture of a Remembrall in an attempt to change the topic, "Look, I found it."

The rest of the day went surprisingly well. To the surprised of everybody Draco and Neville ended up chatting most of the time as Hermione and Harry read loads of books, Draco later proclaiming Neville as the sole sane person, aside from himself, sitting at the table.

Sentiment within the little newly formed group grew better and better with the following days. Draco often going with Harry to the library, where they now were mostly only pretending to read and spend most of their time chatting – for the exception of Hermione, who still read a lot, but now managed to make some time to participate in the conversations as well. Though Harry suspected that they might be soon experiencing a change in routine as he'd heard Draco and Neville mutter amongst themselves something about dragging them to the lake.

As the first month at Hogwarts finished they finally had their first Flying lessons with the Gryffindors in which Neville spectacularly broke his wrist and promptly lost his Remembrall.

"I can't find it anywhere! I already searched the place where I fell four times and I still can't find it!", said Neville tearfully as they all sat at their secluded table in the library.

"Have you considered theft?", asked Harry, he had been listening to Neville's worries for hours and had just remembered what Terry Boot had tried to do.

Neville's eyes widened almost comically, "Y-you mean someone stole it?"

"It's possible you know", drawled Draco, "Terry Boot did try do it once."

"But we have no proof", said Hermione, the conversation at hand having drawn her out of her book.

"Point, but I bet if we were to open his trunk in his dorm room we'd find it", said Draco as he lazily turned a page of the novel in front of him that he wasn't reading.

"It's no use", sighed Harry and stood up, "I'm going for another book, perhaps I can find a way to repel thieves that doesn't resemble the ones I already know."

Hermione perked up, "You know theft repelling spells?"

"Don't get him started", pleaded Draco.

Harry nodded, ignoring Draco, "Father loves to collect old and special objects, he is an expert in theft repelling wards and spells specifically designed to target thieves. Though most of them are rather gruesome."

Neville looked a bit pale, Hermione looked interested, and Draco looked queasy, "You don't want to hear about them, believe me, I grew up having nightmares from his tales."

"Oh don't be a wimp, Draco!", admonished Harry playfully with a smile.

Draco glared at him.

"Alright, you don't have to tell me. Neville are you alright?"

Neville was looking rather pale, but he nodded, "Nightmares, you say?", he asked Draco.

Nodding furiously, Draco launched into a tale of how Harry had once lied to him and told him he had placed a Manticore under Draco's bed and as a result he'd not slept in three days.

Shaking his head in amusement Harry went in search for a new book, trust Draco to exaggerate a story, he had to the most not been able to sleep a few hours for one night before catching on Harry's lie.

Shuffling through the books on the Charms bookshelf he noted from the corner of his eye Ron Weasley staring strangely again at him.

Swallowing a sigh he took a book that looked mildly promising and left as soon as he could. If there was one thing he hated it was being stared at.

"Find anything?", asked Hermione as he sat back in his chair.

"Dunno", said Harry as he began reading.

"What are they doing here?", he heard Draco ask and looked up to find the Weasley twins in deep conversation with Ron a few aisles away.

"Probably reading, this is a library you know", said Hermione as she eyed the untouched book in front of Neville.

Neville quickly opened the book and pretended to read it.

"They're coming this way!", whispered Draco.

And sure enough, moments later the three Weasleys were at their table.

"Good day gentlemen-", began the first twin.

"-And lady!", finished the second twin.

"We were hoping to make a few things clear."

"Things that have been troubling us."

"And that don't make any sense to us."

"Maybe you could lend us a hand."

Harry blinked. "What?"

"Look", said the second twin as he grabbed a chair and sat at the end of the table, action which was copied by his twin, "You might or not have noticed that we have been staring at you-"

"Yes, I have", interrupted Harry with a deadpan.

"We do apologize for our rude staring", said the first twin as he nodded with his twin and nudged Ron to do so as well, "But we were trying to figure out a small mystery."

"What mystery?", asked Harry, curious.

The twins exchanged glances, "You go on Fred, tell him."

The twin who seemed to be Fred took a deep breath, "Not a week after school started we got an owl from our mother telling each and every one of us to stay as far as possible from you. She didn't say why, but she did say that our father agreed with her. Now seeing as that is not common we sensed something was wrong and immediately owled her back. She only answered us by saying it was important and that it had to do with a certain group of people they regularly spoke with."

The Order, thought Harry and continued to listen.

"She also said that Neville's mother wrote him the same."

Neville looked taken aback, "She did?"

"So we figured you must be some Dark Wizard or something but then Ron told us how he'd spend the train ride here with you and we had to scratch that from the list. So we thought that maybe your parents were Dark Wizards but then you went and made friends with a Muggle-born who is a Gryffindor and then yet another Gryffindor, so we ruled that one out as well."

Harry felt immensely relieved that his father wasn't anywhere near to hear that last part.

"So now we came here to ask you-"

"Why?", finished the other twin.

All the gazes shifted on Harry now and he almost began fidgeting.

"I'm not a Dark Wizard", he said, which in a way, was true. He wasn't one – yet.

"Yeah, we figured that part out", said one of the twins.

Harry glanced around the faces staring at him. Hermione looked worried, Draco looked paler than usual, the Weasleys looked curious, and Neville looked uncomfortable, perhaps at the prospect that his mother had told him to keep away from someone he considered his friend.

Friend. The word rang through his head. Had he really just made friends with a Mudblood and a blood-traitor?

"I'm not a Dark Wizard", he repeated lamely and with an anger he hadn't known he'd been feeling he added quite loudly, "And your mother should know better than to judge me for what my father does!"

He abruptly stood up and raced out of the library without looking back. Really! First the Slytherins adore him for who his father is and now the rest of the school will hate him for who his father is!

For the first time in his life Harry found himself wishing that his father wasn't the Dark Lord.

Meanwhile, back at the table, the children were all recovering from the sudden outburst.

"So it is his father", began Hermione, "I thought so, he barely ever speaks about him and when he does he doesn't sound like a nice fellow."

"He doesn't even let him play Quidditch, he told me on the train!", added Ron, speaking for the first time.

"Come off it Ron, nobody can be that evil", said George.

"It's true", said Draco, feeling rather uncomfortable being surrounded by Gryffindors without Harry nearby, "And he's right, although he resembles his father a lot his father would never even as much as look at Hermione without calling her a Mudblood."

Hermione looked confused, the rest of the boys looked angry for a moment and then relaxed.

"It's true, Harry wouldn't call her that – or would he?", asked Ron, clearly he had sensed on his first meeting with Harry that he wasn't a bad person and had also been watching him fairly enough in the last couple of weeks to know that Harry wasn't hateful or in any way bad with his Gryffindor friends.

"Will he be okay?", asked Fred.

"We don't want him angry at us, we just wanted to know", said George.

"Besides, we had already decided long ago that this new rule of Mum was silly", said Fred and all the Weasleys nodded together.

"Same with me", Neville spoke up, "Even if I do find Mom's letter I won't listen to her, Harry's a good friend."

Draco blinked, "You don't care that his father's –"

They all shook their heads before he could finish.

"Nah, he's a good enough fellow, have you seen how he hates the rest of you Slytherins?", snickered Fred, "We saw him shove one of them into the vanishing cabinet last week."

"It was glorious", grinned George.

Draco now suddenly understood where Bletchley had disappeared to for three days. He didn't know what he found most disconcerting, the fact that Harry had attacked an older Slytherin and had gotten away with it with no one being the wiser even though said attacked person had disappeared for three days without trace or the fact that he actually agreed with the Gryffindors.

"Yeah, he learned somewhere to be decent-"

"-Perhaps from his mother", finished Fred in a thoughtful manner.

"His mother died when he was a baby", blurted Draco before he could stop himself.

Hermione gasped, the rest of the boys looked uncomfortable and Draco shut his mouth with a loud click.

"Blimey", said George.

"Yeah", nodded Fred.

"Why are you telling us all this?", asked Ron, looking suspicious.

To be honest, not even Draco himself understood it, but he'd spend more than enough time with Harry for the last few days along this group to not notice what Harry was secretly craving for – a normal life. Perhaps his friend himself didn't notice it but he was liking more and more these people as their conversations turned to their normal everyday life, like the one he didn't have. Sure his father gave him everything, but never before had he to fight for something or look after someone smaller than him like Neville and his little siblings. Neither had he ever been alone like Hermione in this new school and world and was obviously fascinated with the way she was integrating into her new life.

Being offered a deep insight into these people's worlds and lives had attracted Harry like fire to a fly and Draco could see that Harry didn't only want to explore their strange, strange world, void of Dark Lord fathers and all his supporters – he needed it. Loathe to admit it, Draco, as the son of one of the inner circle Death Eaters, life could get more than just a little bit stressing. Constantly living up to huge expectations coupled with the gore that sometimes came home with his father after another meeting coupled with what society thought of him outside the safe environment of his home and that of his father's associates. Draco normally coped by bringing up his father's name as many times as possible in a conversation, perhaps it was an attempt to convince himself that all was worth it.

But Harry – Harry lived with the Dark Lord, and he was paying dearly for that at Hogwarts, so he needed people to support him, even if he would never admit to it. So Draco shoved aside his mushy musings, hoping that he wouldn't have to again go through this kind of situation – somehow he doubted he would have such luck – and answered the expectant group in front of him.

"Look, Harry has taken a liking on you two, and he even liked Ron for a brief while on the train. You have said it yourselves, he hates the other Slytherins, he doesn't stand them, he needs real friends or he's gonna have a nervous collapse sooner or later, what with the teachers also hating him."

"Yeah, I saw how Madame Hooch treated him the other day at Flying lessons, she almost took points away for holding his broom correctly", said Ron with a frown.

"I don't get it", said George suddenly, "We all know there are plenty of children whose parents are Dark Wizards in Hogwarts, like Malfoy here-"

"Oi!"

"-And yet nobody tells us to keep away from them, I mean, some of the older Slytherins are practically Death Eaters in training and we don't get told anything about them!"

"You're right there", said Fred thoughtfully.

Sensing danger when he saw it, Draco stood up and said hurriedly, "I am as confused as any of you, it doesn't make sense for me either. I'm going to find Harry before he attacks another Slytherin or Boot or someone." He left quickly.

Draco found Harry sitting behind his curtains on his bed.

"Harry", he called, not really expecting an answer.

He didn't get one.

But that didn't stop him as he just continued to talk, "You know that you actually had good luck befriending those Gryffindors. It's rare to find one of those with some brains, these seem to have some of it – or none as they are unfazed by who or what your father might be."

That seemed to work as Harry called from behind the curtain, "They're ignoring their parents?", and quickly opened the curtains.

Draco nodded, "Apparently they like you. I thought I had to stay and do some damage control after you left, but it wasn't necessary. What's more, I think you'll have the Weasleys talking to you as well after today."

Draco watched closely as something akin to relief floated through Harry's weary face. His friend had really been having some hard days the last time. The teachers treated him horribly each day and pretty much didn't leave him alone in their classes. The Slytherins seemed to become more persistent with time and the only person who treated him like a normal being in the house was himself and he was sure all this was going to catch up on Harry, sooner or later.

"I suppose they are friends – aren't they?", asked Harry, looking unsure.

Feeling a little uncomfortable with the emotional question Draco shrugged, "I'm not a woman, go ask Pansy or Millicent."

Harry snorted, "I never even meant to become their friend, perhaps only their acquaintance, but never their friend. I guess father was right when he said that some things happen without you really wanting them to."

Draco just stared at him and said nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendship! Ain't it wonderful?
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter. Please be welcomed to nitpick and Britpick.
> 
> Also, please comment!


	6. Compilation Of Woes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I'M BACK!
> 
> To my own personal surprise I managed to work on this story the last couple of months and solved a mayor problem I had with writing for the third year where the plot will actually start to kick in, much like in the actual HP books :P
> 
> Anyways, I want to thank all the reviewers that came by and left nice words to me. Thanks guys, you're awesome.
> 
> BTW, somebody asked if the War is still going on. Yes, yes it is. This will be addressed later (much later) on in the story so don't worry. If any of you have similar doubts please tell me, I'm always game for finding answers to questions :)

Since the first night after he'd had Harry Riddle in his office Dumbledore had noticed that there was much more than the obvious to the boy and after closely watching him for the weeks after that he now had only more questions than before.

Seeing the boy in his office any normal person would have said that the boy was on a direct way to end up just like Voldemort. Just like that, plain and simple.

But Dumbledore had known Voldemort and knew him to be a very complicated person and expected no less of his son.

Sitting in front of him he saw he boy both nervous and afraid of looking into his eyes behind that outward over-confident and defiant look.

Harry proved to be much more than that as he was continually reported to be 'running' and 'hiding' from his fellow Slytherins. And the confusion only grew as the reports of evading Slytherins continued throughout the second week and he was now everyday meeting with Hermione Granger, a Muggle-born and seemed to be on friendly terms with her.

Third week came and now Harry was meeting with Neville Longbottom as well and rumour had it he had had a quarrel with a fifth year Slytherin and had come out the winner.

By the fourth week Harry's little group had been joined by young Draco Malfoy.

This perplexed Dumbledore even more. The young Malfoy heir had been obviously friends with Harry long before they arrived at Hogwarts and was member of one of the most prejudiced families in the Wizarding World. Yet here he was spending time with what in his books were 'Mudbloods' and 'blood-traitors' only because Harry Riddle, of all people, seemed to have befriended them.

And then at the beginning of their second month three of the Weasley children joined in with their little group.

Reports began coming in that the Weasleys had finally lured the group out of the library and could be often seen near the Quidditch pitch and the school grounds near the lake, though they still spend the majority of their time in the library, except for the Weasley twins which still preferred their liberty over the library most of their free time.

Dumbledore wondered what Harry Riddle must have said or done. For the day just after classes started he had organized a meeting with all the members of the Order of the Phoenix and told them of Lord Voldemort's son.

Needless to say more than one had immediately asked for his expulsion from Hogwarts, but Dumbledore wouldn't have any of that.

Most of the Order Members that had children at Hogwarts immediately owled their children to stay away as far as possible from Harry Riddle.

But still four children of Order Members where hanging out with him on a daily basis.

Looking around him as he sat at the High Table on Halloween night Dumbledore saw Severus watching young Harry as he stood at the entrance of the Great Hall intently.

When they found out about Harry's existence there had been a rather tense moment as he asked Severus why he had never mentioned that Lord Voldemort had a son.

The answer surprised everyone except Dumbledore. Severus had been forced to make the Unbreakable Vow to never speak of Harry to the Order until Voldemort decided to make his existence known to them.

But with the Vow lifted now he could speak, and even though he spoke fairly few of the boy it was good to know a bit more of the boy, even though most of what Severus had to say wasn't really good news to them. Lack of empathy, disregard for social norms, history of violent temper tantrums and an obvious air of narcissism were only of the few qualities used to describe the boy.

Yet watching as the Weasley twins walked past Harry and greeted and caused him to laugh, not a cruel laugh, but a sincere childish laugh, Dumbledore couldn't help but wonder if Hogwarts had already had a positive effect on the boy.

The feast began and Dumbledore was quickly distracted by Professor Flitwick.

The feast had hardly been on for five minutes when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."

And he then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects", he called, "Lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

And all the Professors rushed out of the Great Hall.

* * *

Hermione Granger might not have been the brightest member in her little group of friends, but even she could sense that Harry Riddle was more than he let on – okay, so maybe she was quite bright, but that didn't help her much with deciphering Harry Riddle. Really, his last name suited him just perfectly.

The only one that was aware of whatever Harry's secret was, was Draco. She'd summarized as much with watching him the few times Harry's father was brought up in a conversation. The way he'd lose some of his colour and start fidgeting with his robes pretty much gave it all away – that there was something not being said.

Ron, apparently not sensing his discomfort, had actually once tried to ask Draco. But before he could even finish his sentence Hermione had given a sharp kick in the shins and started to bicker with him over something or other which effectively made him forget about asking Draco anything.

Sometimes, when she, Ron and Neville sat in the Gryffindor common room they would wonder about this and if Fred and George were anywhere near they'd throw in some of their most wild theories that would have them all laughing, but none the wiser about the truth.

She just couldn't fathom what it could be.

What would cause both Neville and Ronald's parents owling them to keep away from an eleven year old? Not that their efforts had worked, it had only made the twins curious and even though her previous teacher before she came to Hogwarts had told her how good and special curiosity was, she was starting to have her second thoughts by watching the twins and their abrasive way of finding out things. She could only be thankful Harry and Draco hadn't been victims to their unorthodox way of finding out things.

And then there was Neville. The poor boy had been distressed beyond words when he finally found his mother's letter and was forced to choose between his new friend and his parents' direct order. She still wasn't sure what exactly happened, but she suspected Ron might have something to do with the fact that the letter was never mentioned again and completely ignored.

Yes, granted, Harry's father sounded from the first time she heard from Harry of his choice of books like a pretty nasty person, because what kind of person allowed their eleven year son read books on how to brew deathly poisons and their effects? And that's not to mention the day she'd asked Harry about the theft repelling spells.

She shuddered as she walked down the corridor and went into the bathroom, that had given her nightmares that night.

Checking her old fashioned watch she'd purchased after reading that her old digital one wouldn't work here in Hogwarts, a History, she made sure she was still on time for the feast and continued with her musings.

As if Harry's short tales about his father's library and Draco's nervousness wasn't enough there was also the issue of all the professors treating Harry horribly. Never in her whole life would she have thought that teachers, the people that were supposed to be looking after them without discrimination, would go after a student like that.

It had all started out when, at their first few weeks of speaking with each other, Harry had commented offhandedly that he'd never been rewarded a point for his house except in Professor Snape's class. At first she'd thought he merely wasn't paying attention to his classes, but soon she had noticed that that wasn't the case. Then they'd had that flying lesson together and she began having her suspicions. And then she heard about the time he'd been docked points in Charms for accidentally floating his feather into the hair of some Ravenclaw girl.

The next day she'd cornered Draco when he wasn't near Harry and asked him directly. To learn that Draco was almost permanently worried about how Harry was handling stuff because of how he was treated by some of the teachers made her angrier than she'd ever been before.

As she began washing her hands at the bathroom sinks she caught a glimpse of her angry face in the mirror and willed herself to calm down. She might not know what to do about the way the teachers treated Harry, but she did know that her friend needed that peaceful ambient they'd created in their little group. Even with the addition of Ronald Weasley, who really was being some terrible influence in the group with his negative attitude towards homework and learning in general, their group had still maintained some of its original peacefulness. Plus, he wasn't that bad company when they weren't busy with homework and the occasional visits from his brothers always brought a smile to the group – though sometime Hermione felt that she shouldn't be smiling at some of the pranks they performed.

Her mind was probably just about to go down the lane of why the twins were even worse influence over the group than Ronald when she turned around and saw a Troll entering the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT! Since it went rather well with my uni exams and I am in a celebratory mood I'll be uploading a second chapter in a couple of hours!  
> Thought I'd give you a chance to see things from other people's perspective, I think I'll be doing this once for every school year Harry goes through.  
> Please remember that nitpicking and Britpicking are more than welcome!
> 
> Also, please review!


	7. Trolls And Midnight Duels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised here is the bonus celebratory chapter!
> 
> Not much to say here so go have fun reading this :)

"Don't push! Watch your step!", called Marcus Flint, Slytherin prefect over all the crowd as he led them out of the Great Hall, "Stick together!"

"How in Merlin's name can a Troll get through the Hogwarts wards?", asked Harry as he lagged behind with Draco.

"HERMIONE!", they both heard Ron call as he stepped out of the entrance.

"What's with him?", asked Harry.

Draco shrugged, "He's been calling for her for a while now."

"RON!", Harry beckoned him over.

"Have you seen Hermione?", asked a worried looking Ron as ran to them, Neville just behind him, "She went to the bathroom just before the feast and we never saw her come back."

"You think she's still there?", asked Draco.

"It might be, she never heard about the Troll", said Neville, looking a little teary.

Harry found himself rolling his eyes, "Well, the Troll is in the dungeons, I can't see why we can't go tell her."

Ron nodded, "This way."

They were only what Harry calculated to be one or two corridors away from the girl's bathroom when they all stopped dead in their track at the sight of a Troll entering a room.

"Wasn't it supposed to be in the dungeons?!", whispered Harry furiously, not taking his eyes from the Troll.

"I – I-", stuttered Draco but was unable to say anymore.

"Look!", pointed Ron, "There are keys in the lock of the room's door, we could lock it in!"

Neville whimpered and Draco grabbed Harry's sleeve.

"Excellent idea Ron!", congratulated Harry and hastily went to close the door and lock it with Ron, Draco still clinging at his sleeve.

They all sighed in relief.

"Did you all smell it?", asked Draco as he detached himself from Harry.

"Well, really, one would say you'd never seen a Troll before", said Harry with an eye roll.

"But I haven't!"

Before Harry could say anything back there came a high, petrified scream from inside the room.

"The girls' bathroom", breathed Ron in horror, "We locked her in with a Troll."

Feeling like he could yell and scream at them all for their ignorance and incompetence Harry suddenly saw the mental picture of Hermione being maimed beyond recognition by the Troll.

"No", breathed Harry and ran to the door to unlock it.

"HARRY!", yelled the three other boys, but Harry had already unlocked the door, swung it open and now stood in the bathroom.

Hermione was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"What the hell do we do now!?", yelled Draco, his voice faint, sounding close to collapse.

"Go get her!", yelled Harry in a commanding voice as he whipped out his wand.

"STUPEFY!"

A red beam shot from his wand and hit the Troll, effectively distracting it from Hermione. The Troll turned around, blinking stupidly to see what had just hit him.

Harry turned to the three shocked boys and yelled, "What are you waiting for?! Go get her!"

Ron seemed the first to snap out of his state of stupor and began sneaking towards Hermione.

"STUPEFY!"

Harry cast the spell again, but just as the previous time it didn't help much.

"Come on Hermione, you have to move!", Harry heard Ron speaking with Hermione and turned to Draco and Neville, "Go help him!", he ordered.

Casting another 'stupefy' as Neville ran to Ron the Troll now began to get angry.

"Cast something stronger!", hissed Draco.

"Like what?!", snapped Harry, was Draco honestly expecting him to cast the Unforgivables inside Hogwarts?

Suddenly, Draco seemed to have a brain wave, "Wingardium Leviosa!", he cried and raised the club of the Troll into the air.

"Hit it!", he heard Ron yell.

Draco did just that as he let the club fall on the Troll's head, effectively knocking it out.

They all panted as they watched the knocked out Troll fall on the ground with a loud thud that shook the whole bathroom.

Hermione spoke first, "You cast the stunning spell", she said.

"Yes", Harry panted, "I did, it was nothing by the way, saving your life and all that."

Hermione suddenly threw herself upon him in a tight embrace, "Thank you!"

Harry, having never in life been hugged by someone that wasn't his father or Bella, didn't know what to do or say.

"I – um – yeah", he said awkwardly, standing stiff as a plank.

Then Hermione broke the embrace and ran to Draco, who looked almost comically mortified as she embraced him. Afterwards Ron got his embrace and by the time she was giving Neville her hug a harassed looking Professor McGonagall stormed into the bathroom.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice.

Harry and Draco exchanged looks. This wasn't going to end well.

"You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

By this point Professors Snape and Quirrell had arrived as well. Quirrell gave the Troll one look and clutched his chest with his hands, looking ready to faint yet again.

"Please, Professor McGonagall, they were looking for me", said Hermione all of the sudden.

Harry immediately caught on and expertly masked his face of surprise, trying to make up for the obvious surprised looks of the other boys.

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could deal with it on my own. You know, because I've read all about them. If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry distracted it with – with some spell, Draco knocked it out with its own club with the levitation spell while Ron and Neville tried to get me out. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

"Well – in that case-" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the five of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. The other three looked speechless and Harry kept on his mask of calmness.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Neville and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go", she said and turned to Severus, "Professor Snape, I trust you to deal according with your house pupils", she said strictly and left along with Ron and Neville.

Quirrell also excused himself as Severus turned on the two of them.

"Is that really what happened?", he asked.

Harry and Draco both knew better than to lie to him so they shook their heads.

"Very well, twenty points each for Slytherin, you may go."

Harry and Draco quickly made their way back to the dungeons.

"That was close", said Draco, who was slowly getting back to his usual pale.

Harry sighed, "Yeah, it could have been much worse."

And from that day on, a very strong bond was formed between them all.

Time passed and the first Quidditch game of the season between Gryffindor and Slytherin came up. Both had horrendous Seekers and only by strange luck did Gryffindor win the game.

Draco whined for days and Harry enjoyed deeply watching the Slytherins suffer due to their loss, something that Ron seemed to find extremely weird.

They were all leaving the Great Hall after breakfast one morning, Harry reading a letter he'd gotten that morning from his father and Draco and Ron discussing Quidditch, when Neville came running towards them.

"Hey Guys! You'll never guess! I just saw Terry Boot showing off my Remembrall at the Ravenclaw table! I knew somebody must've stolen it after I fell!"

Harry raised his eyebrows, Draco and Ron both looked livid, "What! The cheek of him!", said Ron.

"We'll wait for him till he leaves the Hall, now were are Crabbe and Goyle when you need them?", said Draco as he began looking around.

"Don't you dare involve them in this Draco", Harry warned without looking up from the letter his father had written him that morning.

"But of course I am! Hermione, you are with me right?", and before she could answer him he grabbed her hand and dragged her off with him.

Shaking his head Harry went back to his letter.

"Here he comes!", he heard Ron say.

"Tell him I'm not speaking with his lackeys", said Harry, still not looking up.

"Not Draco, Boot!"

Harry looked lazily up and saw the boy swagger his way through the entrance door, playing with Neville's Remembrall in his hands.

"That's Neville's!", Ron shouted as he pointed at the item in question.

"That's a lie", said Boot nonchalantly.

"Neville's recognized it! It's his!", insisted Ron.

"Then your friend is a liar Weasel", said Boot with a smirk as Ron rose to his jibe.

"You lying thief!", yelled Ron, looking ready to physically attack Boot.

Harry quickly stepped in, "Calm down, Ron", he began calmly, "He's no better than Draco, what's more, I'd wager Draco is much more better than him, especially at creating insults – or creating anything", he gazed with contempt at Boot.

Boot flushed an ugly shade of purple, "Oh yea? What's that there? A letter from your mother? Oops! I forgot. You don't have one."

That did the job. Harry was now narrowly stopped from attacking Boot by Ron.

"What's the matter Riddle? I'd take on you anytime. Tonight if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only, no contact. What do you say?"

"I accept", spat Harry.

Boot grinned, "Great, Michael here will be my second", he motioned at a boy behind him, "Who's yours?"

Harry looked behind him, expecting to find Draco but only found Ron and a quivering Neville.

"Ron it is then", he said, much to his own and Ron's surprise.

Boot's grin deepened, "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room, that's always unlocked."

Nodding Harry turned on his heel and stomped away, closely followed by Ron and Neville.

"Why didn't you pick Draco?", asked Ron.

"Because the second has to be present at the time the duel is made", explained Harry, knowing the rules by heart after witnessing so many wizard's duels.

"Draco's gonna be mad", said Ron. And true enough, Draco looked ready to throw a tantrum when he was informed of who Harry had picked as a second. Though it quickly passed as he made up his mind to accompany Harry and Ron that night along with Neville, who was going because his Remembrall had started it all.

As Harry sat on his bed that night, waiting for it to be midnight he reread the letter of this week his father had send him. He had already made plans to take Harry to Germany for the Christmas holidays with him and had promised to take him to an old tomb that was rumoured to hold some treasure. His father's lack of mentioning anything of the people he kept company with was starting to disturb him. Normally his father would have told him to never get near to his friends ever again while threatening him in sorts of ways and he would have just shrugged him off.

But this – this was enough to give him a strong sense of foreboding.

"Perhaps that is his plan", he murmured as he got up and moved over to raise Draco.

Sneaking around the school at night proved to be a rather interesting experience, everything looked different at night.

When they finally arrived at the trophy room they found not only Ron and Neville waiting for them, but Hermione as well.

"We couldn't get rid of her", said Ron apologetically.

"You're all going to end up in so much trouble!", she hissed.

"And yet you came along", drawled Harry as he began pacing along the room.

Draco checked his golden pocket watch, "Where is he?"

"Perhaps he chickened out?", suggested Ron.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak – and it wasn't Boot.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner"

Harry's eyes widened in realization, "Its Filch!", he whispered urgently and they all scurried as quickly as they could towards the door, away from Filch's voice. Harry's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way", Harry mouthed to the petrified others and they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armour. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run – he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armour.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

Harry gave them all a murderous glare that went lost into the darkness and shouted, "RUN!"

They all sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following. They swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going. They ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him", Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead with as much dignity as he could muster. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.

"I – told – you", Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I – told – you."

"We have to get back to our common rooms", gasped Ron, "As quickly as possible."

"Boot tricked me", snarled Harry as quickly as he had regained his breath, "He tipped me off with Filch."

"Let's go", said Draco.

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up Peeves!", said Ron.

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Shut it or I'll set the Bloody Baron on you!", snarled Harry, almost nothing left of his patience at this point.

This only seemed to anger the Poltergeist as he next screamed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Cursing softly Harry and the others broke into yet another run.

They ran towards a door at the far end of the corridor and found it locked.

"Move!", he ordered and quickly pointed his wand at it, "Alohomora!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open. They piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening to Peeves taunt Filch.

"I think he's gone", whispered Harry after a while, "Stop it Neville!", he said for Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute.

"What?!", he finally snapped and turned around.

He stood stock still, blinked several times, making sure that neither his mind nor eyes were playing a trick on him.

"Guys, how much do you like Greek creatures?", he asked.

"What do you –", Ron stopped mid-sentence as he saw the Cerberus.

The forbidden corridor on the third floor – the words rang through his head. They were on the forbidden corridor on the third floor and now he knew why it was forbidden.

There was a Cerberus there. A three headed monstrous dog that looked very much ready right now to eat them all up.

Draco and Neville screamed at the same time and suddenly the door was flung open – perhaps by Hermione – and they all raced out. Between death and Filch they'd all take Filch.

They ran like the devil himself was at their heels. Harry motioned for Hermione, the only Gryffindor who seemed to still keep her head, to take her house mates back to their Tower.

She nodded and grabbed both Ron and Neville's hands and ran with them through another corridor as he and Draco ran on to their way to the dungeons.

They had barely arrived at their common room when they both collapsed on the floor.

"What – the – hell", panted Draco, looking rather worse for wear.

"A Cerberus – the forbidden corridor has a bloody Cerberus", panted Harry as he sat up.

"Did you see the trapdoor?", asked Draco, not even bothering to try pick himself up.

Harry nodded, "They are hiding something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to nitpick me as much as you want. Britpicking is also welcomed.
> 
> Please review!


	8. The Mirror Erised and Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing much to say except I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

After their midnight adventure Harry and Hermione had both latched on the library in such a way that nobody had been able to lure them away for two full weeks, not even the twins with their newest pranking scheme.

"None of these books say anything useful of a Cerberus", complained Harry as he shut yet another book.

"Tell me again what are you looking for?", asked Draco as he eyed the mountain of books around Harry and Hermione.

"A way to get past it."

"And why, pray tell, would you want to get past it?", asked Draco, sounding as if he'd asked the question many times already.

"It's not for getting past it, it's for a way of defending ourselves in case it gets loose!", countered Hermione as she shot Harry a glare.

"For you perhaps, but I want to know why Hogwarts would risk its students and staff like this, there has to be a good reason", said Harry.

"Do you think Snape's trying to steal it?", said Ron suddenly.

They all looked up at him.

"I just thought about it", he began, "Remember the night the Troll got in? Snape has been limping around ever since then, I bet you he tried to get past the monster and almost got his leg bitten off!"

Hermione and Draco gasped, seemingly thinking the same as Harry did right, but opted to stay quiet as they began speaking.

"The Troll!"

"It was a diversion!"

"He let it in on the grounds!"

"I knew a Troll couldn't get in on its own!"

They continued to unravel the Troll incident in short sentences for a while but Harry had long tuned them out. Somebody was trying to steal whatever the Cerberus was guiding – and that somebody was most likely to be his father.

But why?

Harry had been aware of his father's robbery schemes since he had memory and this would be the first time he hadn't been told. Was it because his father didn't want him in the way? Was it because of his new friends?

No. His father would have told him because he knew of Harry's curiosity and knack for solving mysteries – that summer in Mongolia had proven as much – and Harry doubted his father would be upset enough over Harry's friends to let him out on his plans – or least he dearly hoped so.

"It's not Snape", he finally said, interrupting the group that had been celebrating as if they'd solved the whole mystery – except for Draco, it was his Head of House they were talking about, discretion had to be used, even if he _was_ nodding along with the others.

"Of course it is!", argued Ron.

Harry shook his head, "I've known Snape since I was four and he's not a thief."

This seemed to surprise all of them except Draco.

"What? You didn't know?", said Harry as he glanced around their surprised expressions, "Why did you think I never talked along when you were calling him 'greasy git'?"

"Because he was your Head of House?", suggested Ron while Hermione suggested, "Because you respect your Professors?"

Rolling his eyes he spoke again, "No, I've known and spoken to him since I was little and even had some potions classes with him before coming to Hogwarts. And yes, he might be ambitious, but capable of theft?", he shook his head again, "I don't think so."

"Then explain his limp!", said Ron, Neville nodding furiously at his side.

"Simple, he went to check if the Cerberus was still well and there, the Troll was obviously a distraction and he saw it as such, therefor he went to check on – whatever the creature is protecting."

Neville gulped, "You mean there is still a thief here at the school?"

Nodding Harry closed his book, "The thief was obviously underestimating Hogwarts security and didn't expect the Cerberus, I think it is safe to assume that whatever it is protecting will still be here when we are back from the holidays."

The Christmas holidays were only a few weeks away. Everybody except the Weasleys were leaving for home.

Draco nodded, "Sounds reasonable, Ron could still check though, listen behind the door every now and then to see if it's still there and alive."

Ron nodded in acceptance and Harry couldn't help to remark to himself how much the relationship of the two had changed over time.

"And I'll check at home for the book on Cerberuses that Dad brought me a few years back when we went to go to Greece to meet a guy who bred them", added Harry.

"You have seen them before?", asked Hermione, interested.

"No, about a week before we left we received news that the guy had been eaten in his sleep by one of his beasts."

"Oh", said Hermione, looking a bit green.

And so it was decided. During the holidays Ron would check on the beast and before that they would take turns to listen behind the door.

Draco took the first turn, Hermione the second, a reluctant Neville the third and Harry took the fourth.

As such he was one afternoon walking from listening to the Cerberus growl behind the door when he heard the familiar wheezing sound that was Filch getting near the corridor he was in.

Thinking quickly Harry ran to the nearest classroom door and hastily hid inside.

Closing the door behind him he immediately saw a huge mirror at the end of the class standing high and majestic.

Slowly going near it Harry could discern the words 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi' carved on top of it.

Harry grouched up his face, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Stepping closer he now saw his reflection but almost jumped when he saw the people standing behind him.

Turning around and feeling through the thin air he didn't see the people that were still in his reflection.

Looking closer at the reflection he stared at the two people with him in it.

The first was his father, beaming proudly at him, that same look Harry relished each time he saw it. But the second was an unknown woman with red hair and – green eyes.

Almost gasping as the realization hit him Harry said softly, "Mum?"

The woman in the mirror only continued to smile lovingly at him.

Always wondering how his mother had looked Harry took in as much as he could from her features. Harry had almost inherited nothing from her except for the green eyes.

Taking a few steps back a said softly, "I can't come back – I'm-", he stopped himself from saying the word, turned around and ran from the room. His father had once told him of the Mirror of Erised and how it had driven men to madness. Harry berated himself for not noticing earlier what it was.

The next days went by in a blur and before Harry knew it he was packing to go home for the holidays.

"I'll send you something for Christmas", he promised his friends as they sat near the Quidditch field after the latest Gryffindor team practice.

"It's such a pity that you don't know where you'll be, I'll have to wait until after the holidays to give you your present", said Hermione as she dodged one of the snow balls the twins had bewitched to throw themselves at people.

Shrugging Harry threw himself into the snow as at least a dozen snow balls flew towards him, "It's not like it matters to me really."

"I still can't understand why your Dad doesn't celebrate Christmas", said Neville just before a snow ball hit him square in the face.

"Some people are just as weird as that", said George, grinning as one of the snow balls chased Ron around.

Sitting in the snow and making up his own snow balls Harry said, "And some people just make a huge fuss out of it, I don't really see the purpose of it."

"The purpose of it? That's the point, it doesn't have a purpose!", said Fred indignantly.

"Well, it does make people happy by congregating as family and receiving presents", mused Hermione.

"So its purpose is to make people happy? That doesn't make sense", Harry shook his head, took his wand out and bewitched his own snow balls the throw themselves at Fred and George.

"Trust Harry to take to fun out of Christmas", Draco copied Harry's actions and also bewitched some of his snow balls.

The twins both ducked and threw themselves face first into the snow as at least twenty snow balls came flying to them.

"Yeah Harry-", began George, picking himself out of the snow.

"Spoilsport!", finished Fred, still spitting out some snow he'd somehow almost swallowed.

By the end of that week Harry was packed and eventually placed on the train where he played Exploding Snap with Draco, Neville and Hermione, the latter who was still learning the game. And then they were and King's Cross station and Bella was waiting for him under her usual thick black veil that covered most of her body.

They walked to the place that was connected to the Floo network and flooed back home.

Brushing the soot from his robes Harry looked around the study, expecting to see his father.

"Where is he?", he finally asked when he was only greeted by his Grandmother's portrait.

"Your father is waiting for you in the library", said Bella as she began taking off her veil.

Harry lost no time and immediately went to the library where his father was sitting in his usual armchair, waiting for him.

Voldemort motioned at the armchair across him for Harry to sit down.

Barely sitting for a minute and just as Voldemort opened his mouth to speak Harry asked, "Did you set Severus to steal whatever they're guarding at Hogwarts?"

This question had been burning Harry since the moment he discovered someone was trying to steal it in the first place.

Voldemort blinked, clearly not having expected that, "I beg your pardon?"

"Severus, have you set him after the thing that the Cerberus is guarding? Yes I have seen it, thank you for warning me against it by the way", said Harry sarcastically.

If Voldemort hadn't been so serious he would have probably found Harry amusing, "No", he said calmly and saw Harry relax into his armchair, "I'm not after the item the creature is guarding, I do not need it", he said cryptically.

It was Harry's turn to blink now, "Not need it?"

Voldemort nodded, "Indeed, besides, Severus would do no good in trying to steal anything for me right under Dumbledore's nose, it would blow his cover."

Harry felt both relieved and confused. Relieved that it wasn't Severus as he'd told his friends, and confused at who the real thief might be.

"But what is it guarding, Dad?"

"Nothing you'd need either", answered Voldemort cryptically and Harry narrowed his eyes at him, "Besides, how can I ruin your mystery by giving you all your answers?"

Harry suddenly found himself flush, his father had already caught up that he was after a mystery.

"Now Harry, I believe we have other things to discuss", said his father, eyeing him closely.

Harry hung his head, here it came, the lecture against his friends.

"The voyage to Germany, we have to decide where we are going besides Berlin."

Harry snapped up his head, "What?"

"Berlin, Harry, we'll be there for the main reason of the voyage but after that we'll have free time to go somewhere else before we go to Munich to have a look at the tomb."

Harry was gawping at him.

"Aren't you going to ask me about my frie- I mean acquaintances?"

"Acquaintances? What acquaintances?"

Damn him and his mind games, thought Harry. He was going to be forced to explain himself now, this was probably what it all had been about since the beginning.

"The Gryffindors – I've been speaking with Gryffindors – and – and a – a Mudblood", he admitted, his head hung, almost as if he'd confessed to a crime.

"I do believe that there is a good reason for this", said Voldemort, now sounding serious.

"I – I hate the Slytherins", confessed Harry and rambled on without daring to look up at his father, "They keep trying to lick my boots and gush over me and invite me over the all kinds of weird places and some are even following me around in the common room – it's – it's pathetic – and disgusting", finished Harry with a scowl as he looked at his hands on his lap.

"So you thought it a good idea to hang out with Gryffindors as to scare the Slytherins away?"

"It started with wanting a normal intelligent conversation away of the Slytherin common room, that is how I came to know Hermione – the Mudblood, she has brains, she ought to be in Ravenclaw. She has read so much she disguises it expertly that she's actually a Mudblood. And then came Neville, his parents are Aurors, but he doesn't resemble them – or a Gryffindor – at all. But he can take the boredom away when Hermione drawls on for hours about the same topic. Then the three Weasleys-", Harry paused and took a deep breath, "They actually came to ask me at the end of the first month why their parents had told them not to come near me – I didn't tell them anything, but I managed to convince them with Draco's help that their parents judging was flawed and from then on they somehow became members of our little – group."

Taking a risk after a few moments of silence after finishing Harry looked up to his father's face. To his surprise Voldemort wasn't angry – though neither was he happy, his face was expressionless.

"I am glad that you at least are still truthful to me, you know how I hate liars."

"I could never lie to you father", said Harry truthfully, looking him in the eyes, "Even when I know you wouldn't approve of the people I have been talking to."

"No, not just talking to, Harry, you have become friends with them", said Voldemort, clearly not happy about it.

Harry had to fight the urge to hang his head in shame, "Father – who else was I supposed to speak with? The Slytherins are insufferable and all the children who are related to members of the Order and their friends openly or either avoid me or hate me."

"Hate you?", Voldemort raised an eyebrow, "Have any of them-"

"No", Harry shook his head stubbornly.

Voldemort glared at Harry.

Letting his shoulders sag, "Fine, some insult me, but it's nothing I can't deal with, they have yet to outsmart Draco's insults", Harry smirked.

"I never really approved of the friendship", muttered Voldemort.

"So knowing that I wouldn't approve of your new acquaintances you still went on and became friends with them?"

Harry hung his head this time, it was the closest he'd ever come to apologize.

Voldemort sighed. The boy was obviously lonely at the school and he couldn't do anything about it now, the damage had been done and now his only son had made friends with blood-traitors and a Mudblood.

He must have gotten it from his mother, he thought. Knowing his son better than to argue with him once he's set himself up with something and also knowing that there was no true better alternative – not until the Slytherins snapped out their star-struck attitude, and that wouldn't happen soon – Voldemort asked Harry the most important question that mattered to him.

"Harry, where does your loyalty lie?"

Harry looked up, a fierce look overcame his emerald eyes as he tore out from under his robes a locket. The same locket of Salazar Slytherin himself, that Voldemort had given Harry when he was eight.

"With you father, forever, no matter what."

Voldemort smiled, "That is enough."

Harry beamed at him.

"Just refrain from ever mentioning them to me", said Voldemort, "And do try get yourself better company."

Harry nodded fervently.

"Good, now while at Berlin-"

The conversation about their trip to Germany went on for hours and through dinner time up until it was time for Harry to sleep. The next day most of their packed items were gathered up for the trip to Germany the next day and Nagini came slithering out of the dungeons with a huge lump in her body, obviously caused by eating somebody. Voldemort had to feel proud as he watched Harry follow Nagini around the Manor in morbid fascination as she recounted how she'd chased down the prisoner in the dungeons, played a bit with her food and then eaten it.

Even after spending so much time with blood-traitors and a Mudblood from Gryffindor Harry was still the same.

They rose early the next day and portkeyed to a safe location in Berlin and spend the following few days with the people Voldemort was making a business agreement with. After that they decided to go to near Leipzig, where an all wizarding little town was located.

"Watch your step!", Harry heard his father warn as he ran through the thick snow on the streets.

"I'm going to the shops!", called Harry as he entered a sweets shop. His father was going to find a safe house for during their stay at the village and it was going to give Harry the whole morning free.

After buying as much sweets as his pockets could hold Harry went to the trinkets shop, followed by the Apothecary, and finally the Antique shop.

Gazing around all the ancient objects in the store Harry picked up an emerald compass and inspected it.

"That one belonged to a very prominent German wizard, he was known to like Muggle trinkets so he had an emerald Muggle compass made for himself", said the shop keeper with barely any German accent.

"Why would a wizard want a Muggle compass", said Harry, placing down the item and looking up. His emerald eyes immediately caught a beautiful pendant hanging at the end of the shop, behind the counter.

"There. That pendant over there, how much?"

The shop keeper immediately saw what he was referring to.

"No, no, I'm afraid that one is cursed."

Harry only grew more interested, "Cursed how?"

"I – I'm not sure – the previous owner of the shop – my father – told me so", said the man.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Then how can you be sure? How much?"

"I – I-", the shop keeper seemed to be struggling.

"How much?", Harry demanded.

"Five hundred Galleons", he finally gave in.

Digging into his pockets that didn't have sweets Harry somehow managed to get five hundred Galleons out and still have a few left over.

Depositing the pendant in Harry's hands the man took a step away, almost as if expecting Harry to drop dead on the spot.

Ignoring him Harry went outside and began to examine the pendant in day light. Finding a clasp at the side Harry pried it open and saw inside it engraved 'Gellert Grindelwald'.

"Huh, the poor chap didn't even know that he had something that probably belonged to Grindelwald himself", murmured Harry as he examined the rubies adorning the outside of the pendant.

"Harry!", he heard his father call and quickly placed the pendant around his head and hurried after his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I tried my best with the Harry-Voldemort dialogue part and actually had to re-write it more than once. That's the end product. Hopefully it isn't too bad.
> 
> Please feel free to nitpick me as much as you want. Britpicking is also welcomed.
> 
> Please review!


	9. Norbert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still not much to say. Hope you enjoy!

Norbert

December came and went and no sooner than Harry had been rescued from the tomb in Munich after a small portion of it had caved in, was he back at Hogwarts with a sprained ankle and no book about Cerberuses.

"Dad hid it. He can be a right pain sometimes", said Harry as he limped towards the group's table in the library.

"But how did he find out?", asked Hermione as she helped him sit down.

"I told him", said Harry simply.

Ron did a total double take, "You what?!"

"And he damn knows what that foul beast is guarding, I don't know how, but he knows and he not telling me. Says it'll take away all the 'fun' from my 'mystery'. Damn him and his mental games", Harry muttered the last part.

"He knows?", said Hermione, clearly impressed, "Didn't he give any clue or-"

"Riddle?", Draco finished with a snicker.

"Ha. Ha. Draco. Ha. Ha.", said Harry dryly.

"But did he say something?", asked Hermione again.

"He just said it was something I didn't need. That could be anything."

"But he did give you a riddle then."

"Shut up Draco."

Their investigation had advanced no further during the holidays. Ron reported the Cerberus to still be there. Neville and Hermione and gone and asked Madame Pince for a book on Cerberuses but had instead gotten shooed away. The woman had become increasingly antipathetic toward their group with the time.

"I don't understand what her problem is", huffed Hermione, furiously paging through a book on dangerous creatures.

"Probably just saw you with me", commented Harry absentmindedly as he gazed at his new pendant. The rubies had a beautiful glint in the library's candle and torch light. He absently wondered if Grindelwald had also noticed this peculiarity of the pendant.

"This is getting absurd!", exclaimed Hermione.

"Shh! She'll throw us out", said Neville, looking over his shoulder, checking for Madame Pince.

"They keep treating Harry like he has the plague or something for no reason at all! And – and – Harry are you listening to me?", asked Hermione with a huff of impatience.

"Hmm", came Harry's answer.

"Harry!", hissed Hermione lowly.

Draco nudged Harry in his ribs and finally Harry looked up at Hermione.

"What?"

Hermione took a calming breath, "What's that you're holding there?"

"A pendant."

"Since when do you wear pendants?", she asked.

Harry shrugged, "I brought it in Germany, cost me a fortune, though I don't think it was anything near its true price", he opened it, "It says Gellert Grindelwald on the inside. I think it might have been his."

They all gaped at him.

"Oh Harry, this could really be worth a lot", said Hermione leaning on the table to get a better look of the pendant.

"Yeah, I don't think the shopkeeper had any idea how much was it worth or he wouldn't have sold it so easily. Though I did have to argue with him, the man kept saying it was cursed."

"What?!", they all said at the same time. Harry was surprised Madame Pince hadn't appeared as of yet to scold them about the noise.

"Your father let you buy something cursed?", asked Draco, incredulous.

Harry snorted, "Merlin, no Draco."

"He's going to murder you", said Draco matter-of-factly.

Neville and Hermione were both looking apprehensively at Harry.

"Harry this could be really dangerous", said Hermione, wringing her hands. Neville nodded furiously.

"Never thought I'd say this mate, but I think she's right", said Ron.

"For once I'm with him", added Draco.

Harry rolled his eyes, "You're all exaggerating."

"Harry, the cave in!", Hermione looked mortified by now, "You only sprained your ankle but you could have died!"

"Come off it Hermione, that tomb was ages old and the morons that were doing the digging didn't know what they were doing."

"But Harry, what if something happens – again", gulped Neville, "What if next time-"

"For Merlin's sake!", Harry stood up from his chair and stomped out of the library, the pain in his sprained ankle quite forgotten.

"Go after him Draco", pleaded Hermione.

"Why me?"

"Because you're his best friend, go make him see reason", she pleaded softly as Madame Pince walked by, checking to see where the noise they'd made came from.

Draco sighed.

"Fine."

He left.

Harry was striding without clear purpose through the grounds when Draco caught up with him.

"If you're going to tell me that the pendant is cursed you can go back from where you came from."

"You can't deny that the cave-in could have been a lot worse", said Draco but kept quiet after that.

They both kept quiet as they walked for a while, Harry slowing down as the pain in his ankle came back.

"You won't tell father, right? Because he might just really murder me", said Harry.

"Promise", said Draco and held out his hand which Harry shook.

Walking through the ground they suddenly heard a crashing sound from a cabin not too far away.

They both stopped.

"Isn't that Hagrid the groundkeeper's cabin?", asked Harry.

"Yeah, it's his – wait Harry! Where are you going!"

Harry had sprinted towards the cabin, ankle again forgotten, and was now creeping closer to the window as another crashing sound was heard from the cabin followed by a called, "Norbert!"

"Are you mad?! Come back!", said Draco in a whispered hiss. Harry was now standing on top of some rocks at the side of the cabin, peering into the window.

Harry's eyes widened when he saw what was inside the cabin.

"A dragon", he breathed in awe, watching as Hagrid gave it a bucket full of what looked like blood.

"There yeh ar' Norbert, enjoyin' yer lunch, eh?", said the enormous man, almost as if he was speaking with a baby.

"Tha's a good boy, yeh'll have yer secon' bucket in a – YOU THERE!", he bellowed. Hagrid had spotted Harry. He quickly barged out of his cabin and ran up to Harry who was still watching Norbert with fascination, Draco took a few steps back in fright.

"What ar' yeh doin' spyin' ere?!", Hagrid looked furious.

"Wasn't spying, I just heard a noise and came to check – Draco stay where you are", Draco, who had been slowly inching away stopped abruptly.

"Looked ta' me like spyin'!", argued Hagrid.

"Can I have a closer look?", asked Harry.

"Yeh – what?", asked Hagrid, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Can I have a closer look? I've never seen a dragon this close up before", said Harry, feeling excitement bubbling inside him.

"Er –", before Hagrid could finish Harry jumped from the stone he was using to look through the window and rushed into the house.

Crouching in front of Norbert Harry watched it in awe.

"It's beautiful", he breathed.

Hagrid came to stand behind him, still eyeing him suspiciously but agreed, "Aye."

"This is insane", Harry heard Draco mutter.

"Look – yeh won't say anythin' won't yeh?", asked Hagrid, clearly nervous that they were going to give him away.

Harry turned to face Hagrid, "What? And have those savages of the Ministry do who knows what to it? Never."

Hagrid looked very relieved, but then tensed again.

"An' what would tha' be for?"

"Nothing", answered Harry nonchalantly, nearing Norbert slowly.

Norbert, who wasn't bigger than two feet sneezed and almost set Harry's robes on fire.

"Careful there!", said Hagrid, getting a bucket that, Harry was certain now, contained blood.

"Chicken blood an' brandy", Hagrid explained, "Tis' what they eat when just hatched, them dragons."

Harry took the bucket and began to coach Norbert to drink from it.

"No, yeh have ter put it under its snout – there, that's it", instructed Hagrid.

"Where did you get him?", asked Harry as he watched Norbert drink his chicken blood and brandy.

"Got 'im as an egg from a fella at a game o' cards, looked quite glad ter be rid of it ter be honest."

"And you plan to keep it?", asked Harry.

"Well-"

"You live in a wooden – eh – house", pointed Draco out.

Hagrid or either didn't hear him or chose to ignore Draco as he gently stoked Norbert's head.

"What's that?", Harry pointed underneath one of the huge stairs in the cabin.

"Tha's Fang – he's a bit of a coward." Harry slowly inched towards the dog, Draco stood still as he watched. Upon closer inspection he found it to be an enormous boarhound.

Fang took one sniff at him from under the chair and dived out, jumping on him and began licking his face happily.

"Geroff", said Harry weakly as he playfully pushed the dog away. Glancing at Hagrid he saw the giant man look at him strangely. "Tea?", Hagrid offered.

"No", said Draco as Harry said at the same time, "Sure."

Taking Harry's answer and ignoring Draco's, Hagrid prepared tea and got out some rock cakes.

"What kind is he?", asked Harry as gave his rock cake one look and set it back on his plate. Draco, on the other hand, was trying to eat his.

"Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare them", beamed Hagrid as he watched Norbert snap at Fang, causing the poor boarhound to hide even deeper under his chair where he'd returned to when Harry left to drink his tea.

"Have you thought of what to do with him once he gets too big to – well-", Harry left the rest unsaid as he glanced around the small cabin.

Hagrid's shoulders slumped a bit, "Well, I'm not dumpin' 'im somewhere, tha's for sure."

Harry suddenly perked up, "I think I know who can help! I won't get in you in any problems", he said with a small eye roll as Hagrid looked alarmed for a second.

"Don't worry, I'll find a nice home for him before he gets too big for your house. Come Draco, we have to meet with somebody. We'll be back after dinner", called Harry as he and Draco left the cabin and hurried back to the castle.

"I think I broke one of my teeth", murmured Draco as he struggled to keep up with Harry.

"Come on, dinner will be in an hour or two and we need to – hello Hermione", greeted Harry as they both arrived at the entrance hall and found her standing there with her arms crossed.

"Where have you been?", she asked and then saw Draco rubbing his jaw, "What happened with you?"

"Hagrid has a baby dragon in his hut", said Draco.

Hermione gasped and Harry glared at him. "Come on", hissed Harry, taking hold of both their arms and dragged Hermione and Draco with him.

"Hi guys, what's up?", greeted Neville as they passed him.

Harry stopped dead, glanced from Draco and Hermione, summing them up, "Draco. Take hold of Neville's arm", he ordered and Draco did so.

"What's happening?", asked Neville as he was dragged along through the corridors till Harry found an empty classroom and shoved them all in.

Draco immediately told Neville about Hagrid's dragon as Harry leaned against the wall, lessening the strain on his ankle.

"But they're illegal!", said Neville, alarmed.

"I believe we all know that", spat Harry before throwing Draco one of his best glares. He felt some satisfaction as Draco visibly withered under it.

"I tell you to follow him, to talk some reason into him, and you get him into this?!", Hermione all but shrieked.

"I didn't get him into anything! It's not my fault Harry turns out to have a soft spot for dragons!"

"If you would listen", said Harry, gaining their attention, "I'm going to help him. I have a plan to help Norbert."

"Norbert?", mouthed Neville to Draco who whispered back, "The dragon."

"Harry you'll get into an awful lot of trouble if you're caught", said Hermione, "And the dragon could hurt you!"

Harry rolled his eyes but Draco spoke first, "Hermione, Harry has been living with creatures in his garden as dangerous as or more dangerous than Norbert."

"But-"

"Hermione, with or without you, I'm going to carry my plan as far as I'm able to", said Harry, dead serious and walked to the classroom door, "This is a secret that I hope you all to keep – that goes for you as well Draco."

He left. Dinner was about to begin now so it was no use trying to put his plan in motion as of yet. Eating hastily through his meal and ignoring the usual Slytherins trying to make a good impression on him, – though they were becoming less than before they still were a nuisance – Harry was one of the first to leave the Great Hall. Standing outside the entrance of the Hall Harry waited till he saw Ron and his twin brothers make their way out.

Not really having intended to drag the twins as well into this he shrugged off his worries. The twins could be trusted with this. Besides, he'd probably need their help in this.

"Ron!", he called and grabbed him by his arm, "I need a quick word with you", and seeing the obvious look of curiosity of the twins he added, "They can come as well."

They quickly found an empty classroom where Harry recounted the events that happened at Hagrid's cabin.

"And who knows what those brutes at the Ministry will do to Norbert, so there's no way I'm telling anybody about this."

The three Weasleys stared at him.

"But what do I have to do with this?", asked Ron, being the first to regain his voice.

"Your brother, he works with dragons, right?", said Harry smugly.

The twins caught up with his plan and exclaimed an understanding, "Oh!"

"You want me to ask him for help?", guessed Ron and Harry nodded.

"I guess I could do that", Ron agreed.

"Good, now we have to go tell Hagrid."

On their way to the cabin Draco, Hermione and Neville joined them.

"He's going to think I broke my promise", complained Harry, he didn't have time to deal with trust issues.

"We'll explain that we're here to look after you, I still have a bad feeling about this", countered Hermione. And sure enough, Hagrid was pretty upset at first at seeing seven children standing in front of his cabin, but as soon as Ron, with the help of Hermione, explained about Charlie he relaxed. The giant man apparently had a soft spot for Weasleys.

They stayed for a few hours before they had to leave again for the castle, Ron promising that he'd write Charlie about Norbert that same night, using Harry's owl to send the letter.

The next morning Harry woke up with a terrible pain in his ankle. After setting to much strain on it the swelling had worsened considerably. It looked so bad Hermione and Draco dragged him to Madame Pomfrey just after he'd had lunch and before he could go greet Norbert.

Needless to say Harry got an extremely worried letter from Bella the next morning with the owl post and had to summon Draco to write to her as well to assure her he was more than fine – aside from the minor burnings and scorches he was getting from Norbert that is. Harry now went on daily visits to Hagrid's cabin and came to know the enormous man quite well as they both shared the care for Norbert now. The others also dropped by now and then but when Norbert's diet was upgraded to dead rats both Draco and Hermione seized to visit as often.

A week after Ron had send the letter to Charlie they finally got their answer back, much to the excitement of everybody except Hagrid and Harry.

They began to make arrangements on how to smuggle Norbert up to the Astronomy Tower and devised several routs they could take to avoid attention.

The mayor hitch to their plan came when Norbert bit Ron's hand and by the next day it had swollen twice its size and started to turn green. Ron had then to be taken into the infirmary.

The second hitch, which nobody really bothered with too much was when Terry Boot was seen following Neville one day on the school grounds. Harry and Draco managed to call on one of the prefects and accuse Boot of stalking Neville and after that he stopped following Neville.

Finally the night came and Harry, Draco, Hermione and Neville were at Hagrid's cabin, collecting Norbert, who was now in a crate.

"Bye-bye Norbert! Mommy will never forget you!", called a sobbing Hagrid as they carried to crate away.

"Mad – utterly insane", muttered Draco as they struggled with the stairs up the tower.

Charlie's friends fortunately turned up on time and they had just barely gotten down the tower and into the corridors when Fred, George and Ron turned up running.

"We heard Boot tell McGonagall about you setting free a dragon and we came to warn you-"

"-He wouldn't stay behind", one of the twins motioned at Ron.

"We have to run then-"

"Thank you for telling us", added Hermione, who by now had caught up with Harry's lack of thankfulness.

They'd barely turned the corner at the end of the corridor when Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

They all stopped dead.

"Well, well, well, look who's in trouble", he cackled.

A livid looking Professor McGonagall arrived a few minutes later, Boot trailing behind her.

"It is past one o'clock in the morning! Explain yourselves!"

"Where's the dragon? They had a dragon with them!", yelled Boot.

"Keep quiet, Mr. Boot", snapped Professor McGonagall, "You will all face detention!"

"But they had a dragon! It could still be up there!", insisted Boot.

"Detention Mr. Boot! For telling lies!", said Professor McGonagall, looking furious with all of them.

That was perhaps the only thing that made Harry feel a little better as he went to sleep that night. The thought that Terry Boot had also gotten detention.

Though the bad things definitely outweighed the good ones. After receiving detention seventy points were taken from each house. Fortunately Harry had stopped Ron from arguing or Harry suspected it could have been much worse.

But the worst came the next day at afternoon when Harry's father sent him a letter demanding him to explain himself.

"He's furious", groaned Harry as he walked to Hagrid's cabin along with the whole group, Ron having been discharged that morning.

"Just don't mention that you've been playing with a dragon for the last two weeks and you might be fine", said Draco.

Harry snorted, "Yeah, because that's totally gonna work."

"I'm so sorry", apologized Hagrid as soon as they all sat in his cabin, "It's all my fault, yeh were only tryin' ta' help an' now yer in trouble."

"It's not that bad Hagrid", Hermione tried to console him.

"Yes it is, and yet there yeh are, Harry, helped me every day with Norbert, got in trouble for it an' still yeh come ta' visit. Yer so different from yeh father, but nobody seem ta' notice, yer a good boy Harry", he sniffed and blew his nose in his oversized handkerchief.

Harry looked pointedly into his cup of tea, missing the looks that Ron, Hermione, Neville and the twins exchanged. Draco shifted uncomfortingly on his chair.

Hagrid seemed to notice he had struck a nerve and quickly changed topics, "When are yeh goin' ter hear from Charlie again Ron?"

The conversation went on easier waters after that and even Harry took small part in it, though he still was a bit depressed at the fiasco of the previous night.

As he walked that evening after dinner through the corridors he heard somebody hiss.

"I have been watching you closely, I know what you are up to!"

Harry's eyes widened. It was Severus!

"I – I d-d-don't know wha-what you're ta-talking about S-S-Severus", came the stuttered answer that Harry recognized to be from Quirrell.

"Don't play dumb with me Quirrell, I know what you did on Halloween night!"

"I – I – I-"

"I am watching you Quirrell, just step out of the line and I'll know it", warned Severus.

Harry quickly darted and hid behind an armour as Severus barged out of a classroom and strode away. Moving quickly Harry was able to sneak back to the Slytherin common room without being seen by either Severus or Quirrell.

Sitting on his four poster bed he quickly retold Draco what had just happened.

"You think Quirrell is the real thief then?", he asked when Harry finished.

"Makes most sense, nobody can be that pathetic without faking", said Harry, convinced of himself.

Next day they retold their friends what Harry had heard. Then Draco had an idea.

"We should ask Hagrid, I bet he knows what the Cerberus is guarding!"

Since Harry couldn't come up with a good enough reason to stop him, he watched later that day how Draco and Ron voiced the question to Hagrid.

The enormous man almost spit out his tea when they told him. "Yeh know about Fluffy?!"

"Fluffy?", asked Draco.

"The three headed dog, he's mine, yeh know", said Hagrid with a certain amount of pride.

"But what is it guarding?", asked Neville.

"That is none of yer business, what Fluffy's guarding is between Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel!"

Ron seemed ready to question him further but Harry stopped him, they had more than enough information now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know how many stories that feature a Dark!Harry bash Hagrid and it just always breaks my heart in ten different ways. He's just such an adorable doofus.
> 
> Anyways, nitpicking and Britpicking are always more than welcome!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed and Please Remember to Review!


	10. The Forbidden Forest And Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updating again only to tell you folks that I might not update till New Years. Yes, its sad and entirely my uni's fault again. Good news is next chapter we finish with the first year!  
> Next! And ACTUALLY IMPORTANT! You all must have noticed how close we are to finishing the first year and going into the second year so I'd like to postulate a question to you guys. How do you think Harry would react to seeing Teen Diary!Tom Riddle?
> 
> I already have my own idea written down, but if any of you does have any sort of scenario in mind please write in either the Review section or send me a PM. This proposal will be open until I post the actual chapter where they will meet.
> 
> Now on to other things, a reviewer asked if Neville would ever get his Remembrall back. I really don't think he will :x  
> Also, thanks for the lovely reviews you guys leave!

"I know I have read that name somewhere!", insisted Harry as he searched along with Hermione through the library.

"So have I", agreed Hermione.

"But where?", asked Neville, who was trailing after them as they tore through the library aisles.

"I don't know", said Hermione as Harry shrugged.

Just then Ron and Draco come running to them.

"We just ran into McGonagall and she told us about our detention-"

"That we'll be sharing with Boot!", Draco cut Ron off.

"WHAT?!"

"You know what the detention will be about?", asked Hermione and they both shook their heads.

"Silence in the library!", came Madame Pince's yells.

"We better leave", said Ron and they all followed him out.

"Great, now we can't even go into the library", griped Harry.

"You didn't find anything?"

"No", sighed Hermione.

"Guys!", the twins came suddenly running towards them.

"You'll never guess-"

"-What we just discovered-"

"Nicolas Flamel!", they finished together as one of them held out a Chocolate Frog card of Dumbledore.

Harry just stared at it as Hermione took the card and began reading it. "Oh, Look! Listen to this, 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"

The twins grinned as the other gasped.

"Alchemy! Nicolas Flamel! I knew I had read it somewhere, I have a book on alchemy in my dorm room. I'll be right back", said Harry and ran to the Slytherin common room.

Grabbing the book and quickly running to the Great Hall where dinner had just begun he hurried over to the Gryffindor table where his friends were talking in hushed tones.

"Look", he whispered as he placed down the book on the table, Neville and Ron pushing aside plates and goblets. Draco arriving moments later to peer over Harry's shoulder at the book.

"Nicolas Flamel, the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

"Something that you don't need", whispered Draco, "This is what your father referred to!"

"So Quirrell is trying to be immortal-"

"-or extremely rich", said the twins.

"I still don't believe that it's Quirrell", muttered Ron and Neville nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Riddle! Go back to your house table!", they spun around to find Professor McGonagall looking angrily at them.

"Yes Professor McGonagall", Harry stood hastily up.

Before they made their way to the Slytherin table she stopped them, "You will all serve your detention tomorrow night at eleven o'clock, meet Mr. Filch at the entrance hall."

Nodding they were dismissed and went to sit on their usual places.

"What were you doing at the Gryffindor table?", asked Theodor Nott as they piled their plates with shepherd's pie.

"To confuse people, Nott, isn't it obvious?", answered Harry.

Blaise Zabini snorted, "Well you did just that, the older years are all looking at you cryptically." And it was true. All the older Slytherins were gazing or staring at him. Harry smirked to himself. He did like to create confusion and he was nowhere near on telling them the real reason of why he was at the Gryffindor table.

The next night found Hermione, Neville, Ron, Fred, George, Draco, Harry and Boot being led through the Hogwarts grounds by Filch.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" said Filch, leering at them. "Oh yes, hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me. It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out – hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed."

"I feel like at home", said Harry dryly.

Filch eyed him strangely, "Yes, I bet you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Harry could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Some of them must have shown relief on their faces when they heard Hagrid's voice for Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again – it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Neville moaned, Draco stopped dead in his track and exclaimed, "We can't go in there – I mean – it's full of horrible things – werewolves I heard!" Terry Boot was nodding furiously in agreement.

"That's your problem, isn't it?", said Filch, his voice cracking with glee, "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time", he said, "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right there children?", he asked, looking at all of them except Boot.

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid", said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?", said Hagrid, frowning at Filch, "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn", said Filch, "for what's left of them", he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Boot now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest", he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts", said Hagrid fiercely, "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

Just as Boot seemed ready to argue further Draco stepped, "What's the matter Boot? Afraid?", though Draco himself was trembling the insulting tone to his voice carried through.

Boot turned an ugly shade of puce, "Look who's talking 'there are werewolves in there!'", he added the last part in a shrill voice.

"Stop tha' there!", boomed Hagrid and they were silenced.

"Right then", began Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there", said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff?"

"Unicorn blood", supplied Harry, dread settling itself within his chest. Only the darkest of the creatures hunted unicorns.

"Er – yeah, I guess yeh'd know tha'", said Hagrid uneasily, "There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if the thing that attacked the unicorn attacks us?", asked Boot, clearly terrified. Draco was not far behind and Neville was trembling worse than ever.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang", said Hagrid, "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I'll take Fang", volunteered Harry.

"But he's a coward", said Draco, sounding a tad faint.

"I know, but I can do more than well enough without any help, besides, I like him", he said as he petted the boarhound.

"So me, Ron, Hermione, Neville an' Draco'll go one way an' Harry, Fred, George, Terry an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now – that's it – an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh – so, be careful – let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Boot, Fang and the twins took the left path while the others took the right.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

"At least it isn't full moon", commented Harry, his voice amplified in the silent woods.

They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick.

Harry crouched down to the forest floor examining some unicorn blood.

"It's getting thicker – the blood I mean – isn't it?", said one of the twins as he leaned over Harry to get a better look at the blood.

"Yeah, it seems to have been trashing around – probably in pain."

"You know of – of anything that can hurt a unicorn like – like this?", asked the other twin.

Boot was now almost hurting Fang with his strong hold on the animal.

Harry glanced up the twins and threw them a quizzical look, "Why would I know?"

The twins exchanged unreadable looks.

Harry ignored them and walked further, seeing a clearing ahead.

"Look", he said, stopping the group behind him.

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.

Harry had taken one step toward it when a slithering sound made him freeze where he stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered. Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry and the others stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

It sounded to Harry like far, far away when Terry screamed and ran away along with Fang. Idly he noted Fred and George send red sparks into the night sky and yell at him to leave.

The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry – unicorn blood was dribbling down its front – and then it got to its feet, staring directly at Harry.

A pain like no other that Harry had ever felt overcame him as the pendant resting against his chest began burning and he fell to his knees.

Harry couldn't move as the cloaked figure began stepping towards him. Fortunately Fred and George weren't Gryffindor for nothing and quickly ran to his aid. Each took an arm of Harry and dragged him away as fast as they could.

"Which way?!"

"This way!"

"Is it still after us?"

"Don't know!"

Harry heard them shout as at each other as he was speedily dragged away and soon the sight of the cloaked figure was left behind and out of view.

Suddenly they stopped. A centaur was blocking their way.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

"I'm – I'm fine now", answered Harry with some difficulty as he was trembling all over from his encounter.

"What was that?", asked both the twins at the same time.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry.

"You are the Riddle boy", he said, "You should go back to Hagrid, the forest is not safe, especially for you."

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Two centaurs came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!", one of them thundered. "What are you doing? You are with the Riddle boy! You know perfectly well who his father is. He's the next Dark Lord!"

Harry froze. He didn't dare take a glance at the twins' faces.

"His destiny is yet to be defined", said Firenze firmly.

"Remember, Firenze", said the other centaur, "We are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets."

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, "Do you not see that unicorn? Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret?"

"Are yeh al'righ?!", yelled Hagrid as he came running to them, the rest of the group except for Boot at his heels.

"The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there", said Harry emotionlessly, eyes downcast.

"You led _his_ son into the forest, Hagrid?", asked one of the centaurs.

"Now, yeh 'ave ter see tha' he's nothin' like-"

"We will excuse you this time. You are never to lead him into our territories again", said the centaur and turned around and left with the other one.

"Here I leave you, Harry Riddle", said Firenze, "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving a worried Harry behind as he took the courage and took a glance at Fred and George's ashen faces.

Harry walked back to the castle in auto-pilot, ignoring the multiple questions that were being tossed around. From what Harry caught Terry Boot and Fang had run into Hagrid's group seconds after they'd seen the twins' red sparks. Boot had then apparently immediately demanded to be led out of the forest and when he heard that Hagrid and the rest were going to the place he'd just run from he refused and stayed behind with Fang.

Once in his bed Harry barely slept that night. The fact that Fred and George had heard the centaur call him the next Dark Lord had been bad enough but when the rest came along and witnessed Harry literary be banished from the forest was more than bad. He had absolutely no idea how was going to be able to face the people he'd come to name friends and consider as such. Sighing Harry turned around in his bed.

It did last long enough, the fantasy of being normal when he was with his friends – when he had friends. Not that he didn't appreciate Draco, he was his best friend and had stood by him at all times. But still – somehow – he hadn't had enough time living this fantasy.

The next day found Harry avoiding every single other living being like the plague. Thing which didn't work as well considering he had classes and a fair amount of Slytherins still tried their luck at trying to impress him.

The only one he really allowed near him and reacted to was Draco. But by dinnertime even Draco had entered his list of people to avoid. Apparently Draco had been approached by his old group of used-to-be friends and told him they wanted to talk to Harry.

Harry had pointedly refused and he was now having trouble forgiving Draco for talking to them. He'd just finished his last class of the day and he was on his way to hide – eh – keep himself out of sight in the Slytherin dorms.

Suddenly he was flanked by both Fred and George Weasley.

"Good afternoon Harry", said Fred, taking Harry's left arm.

"We were hoping you could join us in the library for a while", said George, taking Harry's right arm.

"Let go of me!", hissed Harry as he struggled.

"Can't do, I'm afraid", said George.

"You'd probably run off if we did", added Fred.

"Unhand me!", exclaimed Harry as they entered the library.

"Moment please", said Fred and they ushered him to the back of the library, where their table was.

As soon as they arrived at the table Harry tried even harder to get away when he saw all of his used-to-be friends, including Draco, waiting for him.

"Let go of him!", demanded Hermione.

"He'll just run away, Hermione", said Draco.

"But-", she but her lip, obviously not liking the way he was being treated.

"Why am I here?", he finally relented.

"Why?", this time it was Ron who spoke, an incredulous look on his face, "Merlin Harry you have been avoiding us for two days and since last night you won't even speak to Draco anymore, and he's your best friend!"

Harry glared feebly at him, "What do you even care?", he said softly.

"What do we care? Harry you're our friend!", to Harry's surprise it was Neville who spoke now, looking rather confident himself.

"Please Harry, just hear us out", pleaded Hermione.

Shifting uneasily on his feet Harry reluctantly nodded. The twins let go of him at once and sat one two spare chairs near the table.

The group all exchange looks and motioned at Hermione to speak.

"We noticed since the day Fred, George and Ron asked you about the reason their mother had forbidden them to go near you that there was something that you weren't telling us-"

"-But we figured that we better leave you to it and not say anything", added Ron.

"But after last night-"

"We got worried Harry", Neville interrupted Hermione.

Hermione nodded, "The day Hagrid mentioned your father we saw you close up and got even more convinced that something was wrong – we didn't know what – we still don't know what."

"And you expect me to answer your questions", summarized Harry.

"Not all", said Fred.

"That'd be invading your privacy", added George.

"Just the basics Harry, please, we're your friends", pleaded Hermione.

Harry swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, "You won't want to be any more if I answer your questions, however basic they might be."

"Give us some credit Harry, when we barely knew you and knew you were the son of some Dark wizard, but we still became your friends – and stayed being your friends in Neville and Hermione's case", said Ron.

Harry's gaze went to his feet and from his feet to Draco, who looked like he would rather be somewhere else, but the fact that he still stood there meant a lot to Harry.

His gaze returned to his feet. Harry's brain was working over time, he was on some sort of crossroad. On one side he had made a promise to his father and had never broken one before. On the other side were his friends. A group of five true friends that had taken him in and treated him like he was neither of gold or something filthy and had stood by his side the whole school year.

He took a deep breath, "I'm going to break my promise."

The group all stiffened, apparently expecting him to bolt away.

"The promise I made my father", he explained and they relaxed, Draco on the other hand tensed up, an alarmed look crossing his face.

"But first you have to promise me you won't tell anybody – not your parents, not your siblings, not anybody."

They all nodded, Draco was starting to look quite worried.

Harry took another deep breath, willing himself to continue now that he had begun, "Fred and George told you that one of those centaurs said I would be the next Dark Lord, right?"

They nodded, looking uneasy.

"That is because – because", Harry was having second thoughts about this but saw no real way out after he'd come this far. There was really only one way of saying this, "Because my father is the current Dark Lord. I'm Lord Voldemort's son."

The silence in the room was deafening. They all looked considerably paler than before, even Draco looked paler.

Once again Neville surprised him by speaking first, "You-Know-Who's s-son?"

Harry nodded, "And the heir of Salazar Slytherin as well."

Maybe he shouldn't have said that. If possible, they'd turned even paler now, Draco was muttering something about having no tact and Hermione was nodding for some reason.

"That is why you kept insisting", she said, "On the train – Draco said you'd been driving him mad the whole summer assuring him you'd be in Slytherin. It's because you're his descendant!"

They were all staring at her, including Harry. Of the group she was taking it better than Harry would have expected from anybody, she, a Mudblood of all people!

"It all makes sense now! How you know of so many creatures, why you know so many countries, how you know complicated spells, why you have all those dark books in your home's library-"

"Okay, you're worrying me now Hermione", interrupted Harry, and it was true, she was worrying him now.

"Yeah, we actually kinda suspected it you know", said Fred, most of his colour had already returned.

"The centaur did kinda give you away", added George with a nonchalant nod. Sure, this was nothing, they'd totally met other Dark Lords' children.

"And added with what Hagrid said-", Ron trialed off, trying to sound as nonchalant as the twins, but failing. Though Harry had to give him credit, even if it had failed Ron had at least not lashed out on as he'd expected.

"We suspected it – along with other stuff", mumbled Neville and Hermione nodded in agreement.

Harry was now near the point of gaping at them, he went on ignoring the lies they were obviously telling him. They were suspecting it, really? How naïve did they think he was? "You do realize the meaning of the words I've just said, do you?"

They sobered up a bit.

"We – well, at least I – really was suspecting something along those lines – we asked Draco but he refused to tell us", said Hermione.

Harry looked at Draco and gave him half a nod in gratitude.

"And you really don't have any – problem – with this?", asked Harry, still not quite believing the turn of events.

"You're different from him Harry-"

"I don't think he takes that as a compliment", said Draco, speaking for the first time. And he was right, Harry had felt the blood rush to his face in anger when he heard those words.

"You see, this is what I was talking about! You see my father as some monster, for me he's the man that's always been there for me, who loves me and who I love in return. He's my Dad and I hate it when they say I'm not like him because it's a lie."

"Then why talk to Hermione at all? Seeing what your father thinks of the likes of her", said Ron in a rare bout of saying something clever.

"Because she's different!"

"Oh, now _I'm_ different!", said Hermione indignantly.

"And what about us?", asked George.

"Yeah, we're considered as blood-traitors", said Fred.

"Same with me", said Neville.

"Or are we all just different?", asked Ron defiantly as even he could see that Harry had no excuses this time.

"Just – just don't say I'm different again", said Harry as he slumped into his chair, defeated.

Harry took the silence that followed as an agreement.

"Harry, may I ask you something?", said Neville.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you become friends with us? I mean, with the way You-Know-Who thinks about us – I mean, if he finds out he would be-"

"Furious?", asked Harry and Neville nodded, "So thought I, but he instead played a mental game with me – and yes, he's known about you since the beginning, half of Slytherin are probably his spies."

"H-he _knows_?", shrieked Hermione, the others looked taken aback as well.

"Yeah, just gave me a lecture, told me to never mention you and to get myself better company and that was about it. Though he did make me suffer through it, thought I was gonner till the last moment."

The others seemed to have problems digesting this.

"H-he's just _okay_ with it?", asked Ron.

"Hell no, he'd rather have me surrounded by Slytherins but I already told him how they are and we both agree they're pathetic, besides, I'm his only son", Harry added the last part with a grin.

Though they still seemed to have problems digesting this new information they all managed to engage in conversation with him afterwards, the topic quickly shifting afterwards from his father to safer subjects. Harry couldn't help but feel extremely glad about this. Actually being accepted by people who knew who he was and whose son he was, was something he'd never expected, much less by them.

And yet here he was, chatting as if he'd not just revealed the secret he'd been keeping all year from his friend and promised his father to never tell anyone.

All was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the cat's out of the bag! I really had a hard time writing this so I hope it came out well.
> 
> Britpicking and nitpicking are, as always, welcome.
> 
> Please review!


	11. Someone Is Going To Steal The Sorcerer's Stone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Repeating my earlier question: How do you think Harry would react to seeing Teen Diary!Tom Riddle?
> 
> I already have my own idea written down, but if any of you does have any sort of scenario in mind please write in either the Review section or send me a PM. This proposal will be open until I post the actual chapter where they will meet.
> 
> Now you are free from my ramblings, so go ahead and enjoy.

Exams had arrived and Hermione had them all sitting at their table in the back of the library studying over time. Only Fred and George had managed to escape her ruthless regime and were now evading going near her or the library at all.

Apparently the teachers had the same thoughts in mind for they had begun to pile homework on them and for the first time Harry actually had work to do and was therefore forced to stay at Hogwarts during the Easter holidays. Harry knew that had he been at home he would have been constantly distracted by all the activities going on around him.

Summer was also now setting in, making life at the castle considerable warmer. Though Harry didn't mind, he'd been living in a cold and damp place since he had memory.

The case of the Sorcerer's Stone or their 'little mystery' as Harry's father had taken to call though his almost daily letters, hadn't advanced at all. Fluffy seemed to be holding his place with quite ease. Quirrell stuttered the same as ever, though Neville had once heard him beg somebody for 'no more' and to 'please stop', but when he peeked into the classroom he only saw Quirrell trembling there, nobody else.

"He's being controlled", Draco had summarized with ease, "Someone is ordering him to do this."

Though their guess as who that could be was as good as anyone's. Ron, of course, again insisted on Snape, which only got him one of Harry's best glares.

Harry's new pendant was now on a permanent warm, never did it cool down, not even when he took it off to examine it. Which he did in secret now, Hermione and Draco were still trying to convince him that the thing was cursed and a part of him knew that they were right. But somehow he couldn't bring himself to take it off.

Their very last exam was on History of Magic, which they sat with the ghost of Professor Binns, who for a change watched them in order to make sure they didn't cheat.

After their exam they all went to the sunny grounds for a change and flopped down in the shadow of some tree.

"No more studying", said Neville happily and Ron agreed, "got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his chest, the pendant was burning more than before.

"What's wrong Harry?", asked Hermione, picking up his action.

"I – I don't know, I feel like danger is coming."

Draco sat up, "Calm down Harry, hadn't we all agreed that nothing bad would happen while Dumbledore was still here?", it was true, they'd all had this conversation about a month ago – but Harry couldn't shake of the sense of foreboding.

"Besides, Hagrid would never let Dumbledore down", added Ron.

Then it suddenly hit Harry. He abruptly jumped up and began running, "I've just thought of something!", he called before the other could question or try to stop him.

He ran up to Hagrid's cabin and began knocking fervently on his door.

"Hullo", greeted Hagrid when he opened the door, "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno", said Hagrid casually, "Wouldn' take his cloak off."

Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, "Hagrid what did you talk about with him? Mentioned Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta' come up", said Hagrid with a frown, "Yeah, he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here. He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after – so I told him – an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon – an' then – I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks. Let's see – yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted – but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home. So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy."

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?", asked Harry, trying to keep his calm mask in place.

"Well, yeah, how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!", he blurted out, "Forget I said it! Hey – where're yeh goin'?"

Harry and the others had run from his cabin and where now halfway up to the castle.

"We have to tell Professor Dumbledore!", said Hermione the same time Harry said, "We have to tell Severus!"

"Professor Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizard of our time, he'd know what to do", argued Hermione.

"Do you know where his office is?", asked Harry tersely, stopping from his run.

She also stopped walking, opened her mouth and then shut it again.

"See?", he said.

"There's Fred and George, they've got to know!", said Ron and they hurried over to the twins who were chatting with Lee Jordan.

"Hi gu-"

"Do you know where Dumbledore's office is?", Harry cut them off.

The twins exchanged looks, "Why do you want to know-"

"-if you want something from him then it'll be useless-"

"-since he left this morning you know."

"He left?!", exclaimed Harry, "Of all the days he had to leave today?!", he turned and stormed off to the castle.

"Harry! Harry! What are you going to do!?"

Harry turned his head and saw Draco, Hermione, Ron and Neville at his heels.

"I'm going to get the Stone myself – think about it Hermione!", he cut her off even before she could argue, "You were about to go to Dumbledore without proof! We don't have even proof of one thing! No proof that Quirrell is after the Stone, no proof that the man Hagrid spoke to at his game of cards might have been Quirrell and we don't even know who or what is ordering Quirrell. All we know is that it's dying and it's desperate, that's why whoever it is, is hunting unicorns."

Hermione bit her lip.

"He's right", said Ron.

"Don't motivate him!", hissed Draco, "Harry this is insane, if they find you anywhere near the Stone-"

"I don't want the Stone! I don't need it!", yelled Harry.

"I know – we know – but they don't", said Draco. The implication of his words weren't lost on Harry, but just there mere thought of another immortal Dark Lord and the war that would ensue from there on was enough to convince him he was doing the right thing.

"Oh Harry, he's right, this is incredibly risky", said Hermione.

"You know what's even more risky than that? A terrible dark, unicorn slaying being with a Stone that gives him immortality."

Nobody answered him after that.

"I – I'll g-go with you", stuttered Neville.

Draco sighed dramatically, "If Neville goes, I'm also going."

"So am I", said Ron.

They all turned to Hermione, who seemed to be in some internal battle, "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble – Yes, I'm also coming", she gave in.

"Good, does somebody have a musical instrument?", he asked.

Everybody shook their heads.

Harry sighed, "We'll sing or hum our way in then."

Sneaking through the castle, since they didn't want to be found by anybody, especially any Professor, especially McGonagall proofed to be a challenge in itself and took a fair amount of time.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor – and the door was already ajar.

"He's already got past Fluffy", said Harry as he pushed the door open and saw an enchanted harp still playing and a sleeping Fluffy.

"Well, we won't have to sing then", said Ron as he followed Harry into the room.

Opening the trapdoor and peering into it none of them could see the bottom.

"Who's going first?", asked Draco nervously.

"It can't be too deep", mused Harry.

"H-how would y-you know?", asked a quivering Neville.

"You're all Gryffindors, you go first", said Harry calmly.

"Harry!", shrieked Hermione and Fluffy stirred in his sleep.

"What?", he eyed her innocently.

"I – I'll go first", said Ron and stepped in.

"Ron!", whispered Hermione urgently and ran to the edge of the trapdoor.

"How did you land?", asked Harry.

"It's alright, I landed on something soft, you can jump!", called Ron.

"Good, Neville you go next", said Harry.

"M-me?", Neville was trembling furiously now.

Sighing Harry took grab of Neville's upper arm and guided him to the edge of the trapdoor opening, "There, you'll be fine", he said in a calm voice that betrayed how he was feeling inside right now.

Neville whimpered and gave a nod as he gazed down the hole in the floor.

Still he wasn't jumping.

"For Merlin's sake!", said Draco and pushed Neville.

After a moment's hesitation Draco jumped next and after him Hermione, finally followed by Harry.

Harry landed just between Ron and Hermione.

"What's this stuff?", asked Draco, feeling around where they'd landed.

"Some plant I think", supplied Harry.

Hermione then shrieked, "Look at you!", she pointed at Ron and Neville, parts of the plant coiling around their legs.

"Devil's Snare!", exclaimed Neville.

"What do we do?!", said Draco trying to get away but getting more caught up instead.

"Stop moving!", ordered Harry.

"We need fire!", yelled Neville, surprisingly keeping his head in the situation.

"We've got no wood!", yelled Hermione frenetically.

"Have you gone mad?!", boomed Ron, "Are you a witch or not?!"

"Oh right", Hermione took out her wand and cast her blue fire that'd kept them warm during the winter.

Immediately the plant loosened up and they all scrambled away from it.

"'We've got no wood', honestly", muttered Ron as they walked to a nearby door.

"D-do you hear it?", murmured Neville as they approached the door.

"Sounds like wings fluttering", said Hermione.

Harry peeked into the room.

"It looks like – are those keys?"

The others came to join him and soon they were all in the room and gazing at the flying keys.

Ron and Draco took a look at the handle of the door at the other side of the room and after trying all the spells they knew to open doors Draco placed it on himself to catch the key.

"He wants to be Seeker", explained Harry as Draco took off with Ron and Neville's directions as to how the key should look.

"He wouldn't be a bad one", said Ron as he watched Draco chase the keys around on his broom.

"I think he needs help", said Hermione after five minutes of waiting.

"I'll go", volunteered Ron and soon enough he was up in the air helping Draco. A minute or so later Draco caught the key, whose wings were already crumpled and unlocked the door.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces.

"What now?", asked Neville.

They all looked at each other.

"I think we have to play to get to the other side", said Ron.

"Whose best at chess?', asked Harry, "I've never been a good player."

Neville and Hermione shook their heads. It was between Draco and Ron now.

Draco gazed at Ron up and down and finally settled with a drawled, "I suppose Ron'll have to do then."

Ron then set out to place them all around the giant chessboard and began to order the pieces around.

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

"Had to let that happen", said Ron, looking shaken, "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

With time it became clear that one of them would have to be sacrificed as well. And nobody was looking up at that moment.

Finally Ron said, "I need to sacrifice one of you-"

"Yes we know", snapped Harry, fighting hard to remain calm.

"W-who?", whimpered Neville, looking ashen in the face.

"It's going to have to be Draco."

Draco didn't like that idea at all, "Me?! I'm no self-sacrificing heroic Gryffindor!"

"Is it the only way?", asked Hermione and Ron nodded.

Draco was by now looking ready to be sick, "If I die, I'll haunt you – all of you", he said seriously and closed his eyes tightly, brazing himself.

Ron gave his next order and then one of the white pieces came after Draco and hit him over the head with its stone arm and dragged him out of the board.

Hermione screamed, Neville became a shade of green and Harry felt his mask of calmness beginning to slip.

Ron gave a few more orders and soon stood in front of the white king in a checkmate. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Ron's feet.

Harry, Hermione and Neville quickly rushed to check on Draco.

"Is he alright?", called Ron.

"He's alive, just knocked out", said Harry, considerably relieved.

"What do you think will come next?', asked Neville as they walked to the next room.

"Well, the Devil's Snare was from Sprout, the enchanted keys from Flitwick and the giant chess set from McGonagall, who knows who else they included in this."

When they reached the next room the smell hit them before they even saw the Troll. Fortunately for them the creature was knocked out and unmoving.

"That would have been Quirrell's", mused Hermione as they entered the next room.

This next room just had a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's", confirmed Ron.

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it.

"Hmm", said Harry when he finished reading it, "We're trapped."

"No! Don't you see? This isn't magic, this is logic. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"And we're not?", asked Ron quizzically.

"No!", said Hermione as she began to reread it, "Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But which one do we drink?", asked Neville.

Hermione reread the paper several times, "This one will help you go on and this one will take you back", she pointed at the bottles.

Harry took a look at the bottle that was to take him to the Stone, there was hardly enough for two.

"Two of you have to go back – if worse comes to worse I'll try to stray Quirrell from leaving till help arrives – besides, Draco may need immediate help."

"I'll go for help", volunteered Neville.

"I'm going with Harry", said Ron determinedly.

"Then I'll also go with Neville", said Hermione and handed Harry the bottle from which he had to drink.

"Oh, Harry", she embraced him.

Harry stiffened at once, "Yeah Hermione, I'll be fine – and I'll look after Ron", he told her just to get her off him.

"Please be careful", she pleaded as she let go of him.

Harry took half of the bottle and quickly swallowed it before handing the rest to Ron.

It was as if ice was flooding him. Harry shuddered and quickly walked through the flames.

He arrived at the other side and indeed. Just as he'd expected.

Quirrell was standing just in front of a mirror.

Composing himself Harry took it to his advantage that he hadn't been spotted yet. Placing his hands behind his back he strode over to Quirrell, the loud clicking of his boots echoing through the chamber, alerting Quirrell.

Quirrell didn't look overly shocked to see him there.

"Fancy to meet you here, Professor Quirrell", said Harry in a drawl, hearing a swish from Ron stepping out of the fire followed by a gasp.

"Mr. Riddle and Mr. Weasley, what a pleasure", said Quirrell, taking a step closer to them and speaking normally.

"Ah, forgot your s-st-stutter, Professor?", smirked Harry.

"A necessary part of my disguise."

"You aren't surprised to see us", said Harry, narrowing his eyes at Quirrell.

"We're both here for the same purpose, Mr. Riddle, both trying to serve our Masters, it is only to be expected to find you here."

Harry felt his lips curl up in disgust, "I'm nobody's servant, not even my father's", he spat.

"Pity I don't believe you", Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry and Ron.

"Now", Quirrell turned to the mirror in the room that only now Harry realized to be the Mirror of Erised, "I know the mirror is the key to finding the Stone – I see myself presenting the Stone to my Master – but where is it?"

"Who is your Master?", asked Harry, trying to distract him from the Mirror.

Quirrell perked up, "You don't know who he is now, don't you?"

"We heard you when you were in that classroom, begging someone and sobbing", blurted Ron out.

For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.

"Sometimes", he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions – he is a great wizard and I am weak-"

"He was in the classroom with you?", asked Harry incredulously.

"He is with me wherever I go", said Quirrell quietly, "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. He showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is-"

"-Only power and those too weak to seek it. Yes, yes, I know. But who is your Master?", asked Harry impatiently.

But Quirrell wasn't listening, he was muttering to himself now.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

To Harry's astonishment and mild horror a voice answered, a voice that seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the boy – use the boy-"

"Yes – Riddle, come here!", Quirrell rounded on Harry. He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.

"Come here", Quirrell repeated, "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Throwing Ron a quick glance to check on him – Ron looked terrified – and seeing no other alternative Harry walked over to him.

Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban and came to a horrible conclusion. He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.

He saw his reflection, pale and obviously scared-looking underneath his mask of fake calmness at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket, and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow – incredibly – he'd gotten the Stone.

"Well?", urged Quirrell, "What do you see?"

Harry told him the best lie he could come up with, "I see myself – I'm sitting on my father's throne – his followers kneeling before me – I'm the next Dark Lord!"

Quirrell cursed again.

"Get out of the way", he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Sorcerer's Stone against his leg. Harry looked at Ron and gave him a faint smile.

Then the voice spoke again, "He lies – he lies-"

"Come back here Riddle!", shouted Quirrell, "Tell me the truth! What did you see?"

The voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to him – face-to-face."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have enough strength – for this."

Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

Harry could have screamed. This was the most horrible thing he'd ever seen in his life. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

Instantly the pendant lying on his chest flared up and he could almost rip it out and throw it away, but he was petrified. Not about the face – no – about the implications on what this all meant. Realization had dawned on Harry and he now fully understood the severe gravity of the situation.

"Harry Riddle", the face whispered.

"Gellert Grindelwald", whispered Harry back.

"Ah – you know who I am now, though I'm not surprised, your father must have taught you a thing or two after all."

The pain on Harry's chest was intensifying with every second that went by. Harry tried to stumble back but the intense pain was preventing him and his mind was still reeling with everything he'd just found out.

"Don't be a fool boy, you'd do better by joining me. We all know why your father didn't want the Stone – he is immortal already. But what would an immortal man do with an heir? You are useless to him and you know it. He will get rid of you as soon as you grow with age and power."

"LIAR!", shouted Harry.

"You know that what I say is truth. But join me today and I will guide you to the power your father will never even let you near! Join me now and you'll be the most powerful wizard that has ever lived!"

"NEVER!"

Suddenly the pendant on his chest had reached its peak and Harry could bear it no longer. He took it out of his robes and plucked the chain from his neck.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!", shouted Grindelwald.

Now without any pendant burning him Harry turned around and ran to Ron, who had somehow ended up on the floor.

"SEIZE HIM!", he heard Grindelwald yell.

"Behind you Harry!", shouted Ron.

The next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. He yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. He looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before his eyes.

"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Grindelwald again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet, landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck – Harry's air effectively cut off, his vision clouding with black spots, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.

"Master, I cannot hold him – my hands –my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms. Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill the fool and his friend!", screeched Grindelwald.

Harry then, in a moment of lucidity, took out his wand from his robes and pointed without looking and wheezed with whatever air he had left, "STUPEFY!"

But Quirrell was faster and already had his wand in his hand and quickly deflected the spell. The spell rebounded and shot to the ceiling rebounding again and then finally ending up falling on Ron.

Harry would have called out to him but Quirrell was now pointing his wand at him. Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face-

"AAAARGH!"

Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew it. Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain. His only chance now without his wand, which had fallen moments ago, was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from performing a curse.

Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off. Harry's nostrils filled with the horrible smell of burnt flesh, but putting aside the revulsion he felt at what he was doing he clung even tighter at Quirrell.

Quirrell's flesh began to burn and Harry had to let go. He watched in morbid fascination as Quirrell collapsed on the floor, screaming as he gave his last kicks into the air till he was still.

Just as Harry thought it was all over he stumbled back as a ghost-like entity rose from Quirrell's body and flew right through him.

Harry fell on the floor. Unable to see where the being disappeared to.

The world was spinning. Harry realized he was mere seconds from passing out. He turned on his side and saw the pendant lie a few feet away. Taking his last moments in the realms of consciousness Harry dragged himself on his forearms to the pendant and pocketed it quickly.

Breathing laboriously Harry could feel himself passing out now. As his eyes closed one last time he almost thought he saw Severus run to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts, opinions and general nitpicking are all welcome.
> 
> Please comment!
> 
> AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!


	12. The End of Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, finally getting around to updating. My life is so full of activities lately that I'm struggling to find some time to write.  
> Also, thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews, you make my days guys!

 

 

The End Of Year

Harry blinked about as he opened his eyes. Even though everything was blurry he could still make out several white curtains and something black sitting not too far from his bed.

Attempting to raise himself into a sitting position so he could feel his way to his glasses Harry abruptly fell back into his pillow as soon as he'd raised his head. He groaned.

"Harry?', he heard the familiar voice of Severus ask.

"You're awake, thank Merlin", said Severus and Harry's vision quickly cleared as he was given his glasses.

"How long have I been here?", rasped Harry, his throat dry.

Severus offered him a glass of water, "Three days."

Harry's eyes widened and then he looked around, the bedside tables were overloaded with sweets and get-well-soon cards.

"Gifts from your Slytherin housemates and your – friends", explained Severus, saying the last part with distaste.

"The Stone-", began Harry but at that moment Dumbledore entered the infirmary.

"I have to leave you now Harry, I have to report to your father, he has been rather – upset – about your adventure", Severus whispered quickly and excused himself in front of Dumbledore before he left.

"Feeling better Harry?", asked Dumbledore, the usual tinkle in his eyes.

Harry quickly remembered what his father had told him and diverted his gaze from Dumbledore's eyes.

"Yes, much", he answered curtly.

"It was very brave what you did the other day Harry", commented Dumbledore.

"Sir, the Stone?", asked Harry.

"Lost, I am afraid", said Dumbledore sadly.

Harry felt his heart clench, they'd obviously not checked his pockets. He cleared his throat, "What about Nicolas Flamel then?"

"Ah, you know about Nicolas? Well there will be no alternative for him but to pass on along with his wife now. But for Nicolas and his wife death is like going to bed after a long, long time."

Harry was now feeling a hurricane of conflicting emotions in his chest – could he really just not say anything and let them die?

He sighed. It's not like his father would need the Stone after all.

"Sir", began Harry weakly, "My robes – the front pocket on the right – just – just check it out."

Dumbledore looked at him quizzically but did as Harry told him and went to Madame Pomfrey's office to check his robes.

A moment later a beaming Dumbledore came back to Harry's bedside.

"That was very honourable of you, Harry", he said in a delighted voice, Harry was still not looking into his eyes.

"Don't mention it to anybody", said Harry seriously.

"I wouldn't dream of it, the Stone was found when we found you unconscious", said Dumbledore.

"Did you know – you know who Quirrell was also-"

"Grindelwald? Yes, I saw you fight him off from afar."

"You knew he wasn't dead?", asked Harry.

"I suspected it", said Dumbledore cryptically and Harry wasn't sure whether he knew or not that Grindelwald had at least one Horcrux. He wasn't going to tell him anyway so Harry moved on and asked his next question.

"Hermione and Neville got to you?"

"I was in Professor Snape's office when they arrived and told him what had happened."

"And Draco and Ron?"

Dumbledore smiled, "They are fine, Mr. Malfoy only suffered a mild concussion and Mr. Weasley was in shock for a while but he is fine now."

Harry nodded and relaxed back into his pillow, he had other questions but he would be asking those to his father.

Dumbledore gave him an unreadable long stare and then moved one, "Now, I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them – but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"

He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!", and he left.

Once Harry was alone he began to let his inner turmoil take him over. The encounter with Grindelwald, the fact that he'd been wearing one of his Horcruxes since Christmas and the hard fact that what he'd said about his father was in a way true was eating at him.

First, he was berating himself for not noticing something that should have been obvious to him. Harry had grown up with the concept of Horcruxes and was more than familiar with them. Why hadn't he noticed it sooner? Why did it take the pendant to burn his chest so much before he realized it? He should have known since the moment it burned him in the Forbidden Forest when he saw that cloaked figure.

Buttoning open his hospital clothes Harry saw an ugly burnt mark where the pendant had rested. It was coated in salves so Harry hoped that it wouldn't leave a mark.

Second, and this was what was troubled Harry most. The words Grindelwald had told him kept ringing through his head.

'He is immortal already. But what would an immortal man do with an heir? You are useless to him and you know it. He will get rid of you as soon as you grow with age and power.'

It stung so bad that Harry could almost feel it physically. He'd shouted back then that Grindelwald was lying – but was he? Could his father just one day get bored of him and kill him like he'd done to so many others?

But you're his son! A voice in Harry's head told him.

Yes, he was his son, but would that guarantee him to live to old age? Somehow Harry doubted it.

With this troublesome thought Harry eventually fell into a fitful sleep full of nightmares where his father send the Avada Kedavra at him or dumped him somewhere – most times somewhere with Muggles.

Next day his friends all came to visit him and managed to cheer him up a lot. Draco would retell his version of the story in such way that it sounded as if the whole chessboard had attacked him and he'd somehow just come out of it with a mild concussion and a few scratches. Ron was still impressed from what he and Harry had seen in the last chamber and was apparently getting a lot of attention due to that from the school and Harry was thankful that none of them asked him what had happened after Ron had been stunned. Because the whole event was secret, so naturally the whole school knew about it.

Hermione looked relieved that they hadn't gotten into any trouble and was delighted to hear that Dumbledore had found the Stone on the chamber's floor. Ron looked like he was ready to correct her on where the Stone had really been but Harry threw him a look that clearly said 'don't you dare'.

And Neville – Neville looked relieved that he wasn't down there and instead sitting on the edge of Harry's bed.

The twins had also stopped by multiple times and made everybody laugh when they tried to smuggle in a toilet seat but were stopped by Madame Pomfrey.

When they left after several hours of working on Madame Pomfrey's patience Severus came back with a message from his father.

"He tells you to take care and to try keep yourself in one piece before coming home", he said.

Harry's lips tugged into a small smile, "Please check my robes' front left pocket", he instructed Severus.

Moments later Severus came back with Grindelwald's pendant.

Harry cleared his throat in an attempt to sound nonchalant, "That's Grindelwald's Horcrux."

Severus' eyebrows shot up high, "I believe you have a lot to tell me, Harry."

For the next hour Harry explained best he could what had been happening the last few months since Christmas when he got the pendant in Germany, though he conveniently forgot to tell him that he was warned that the pendant was cursed.

After another night of fitful sleeping Harry was discharged the next morning and allowed to attend the end of year ceremony.

The Great Hall was decorated in Gryffindor colours. Not only had Gryffindor won the House and Quidditch cups, but had also broken the six year record of Slytherin winning the House cup.

When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Blaise Zabini and Draco at the Slytherin table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.

Dumbledore then stood up and gave a brief speech and gave Harry and Draco points for something or other – Harry didn't really care, he knew that they weren't going to win the House cup anyways. And sure enough, by the time Dumbledore had finished awarding Hermione, Ron and Neville, Gryffindor was still on the lead.

Draco poked his steak as he pouted after the feast had begun.

"We should have included more Slytherins in our adventure", he said glumly.

"What? And having to stop every five minutes to listen to some self-preservation speech? No, I already had enough with yours at the chessboard."

"Then what was it that you did when we were in front of the trapdoor? 'You're all Gryffindors, you go first'!"

"That was common sense", said Harry matter-of-factly.

Draco scowled, "You're not even sorry we lost are you?"

Harry shook his head, "Look at their sad faces, Draco", he whispered so that only Draco could hear him, "It's beautiful, like some twisted form of art."

Draco stared at him, "Sure", he said, apparently at a loss on what else to say.

The next day they all received their exam results. Harry and Hermione surprised nobody by receiving the highest scores of their respective houses. Draco tied with Blaise as second bests in Slytherin. Ron got average grades and Neville managed to scrap a pass. Much to Harry's disappointment Crabbe and Goyle also managed to scrap a pass somehow, Harry suspected it had something to do with Theodore Nott, whom they had taken to flank since Harry had physically kicked them out of the library when they had followed him and Draco there.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets with the help of some of his friends, notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays – Fred still hoped they one year forgot those – and then Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake and then they were boarding the Hogwarts Express.

The train ride was fairly entertaining. Draco and Ron played wizarding chess for hours, Hermione got absorbed in a new book while Neville and Harry played Exploding Snap. At one point the twins came to join them as well and soon the whole compartment was playing with them Exploding Snap, the game of chess and new book forgotten. Eventually Lee Jordan came for Fred and George for some reason or other and Draco and Ron went back to their game of chess and only Hermione, Harry and Neville continued with the game of Exploding Snap.

Finally they arrived at platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross station, changed robes and disembarked.

"Bye Harry!", called Neville and Harry saw him run to a couple with two small children at their side.

"I can see Mom, see you after the summer Harry, don't forget to owl!", said Ron and was off.

Harry spotted Lucius waiting for him and Draco among the crowd, "There's Draco's Dad, see you after the summer Hermione, I'll send you an owl", he said as he dashed off. Draco waved at her and followed.

Soon Harry was dropped off at Riddle Manor and Draco and Lucius departed to the Malfoy Manor.

Harry stood uneasily in the study as he waited for his father to appear while his Grandmother's portrait fussed over him.

"-Heard you were hurt I cried in fury and then-"

"That would be enough, mother", said Voldemort as he entered the study, "Go visit Salazar Slytherin's portrait, I need to have a talk with my son."

Merope gave a huff and then disappeared from her portrait.

"When I first heard what had happened in the Forbidden Forest I could instantly tell that I wasn't hearing the last of whatever attacked my son. But for some reason I had hoped that you would have enough sense and not go near it. I guess even I can make mistakes sometimes."

Harry had dropped his gaze to his feet as soon as he'd taken his first glance at his father's face. He was furious and Harry knew it was all his fault.

"Tell me, what in Merlin's name were you thinking when you went after him", asked Voldemort, his cold voice masking his fury.

"I was trying to prevent him from getting the Stone.", said Harry morosely, "I knew that it had to be someone exceptionally Dark because it had drunk unicorn blood – I – I-"

"Speak up boy!", said Voldemort impatiently.

"I didn't want whatever it was to become a Dark Lord, an immortal one on top."

There was a moment of silence in which Harry felt himself even more foolish than he'd thought was possible. He'd really risked his life – went against all the self-preserving principals he'd been taught, ignored –

"Harry, you do realize I could have dealt with Grindelwald on my own?", Voldemort asked, though his voice was softer now.

Harry ventured and took a glance at his father's face. He still looked somewhat angry but wasn't looking furious anymore.

"Yes Dad", he answered in a small voice.

"And that you could have easily died?"

Harry hung his head again. As he stood still he suddenly felt himself being enveloped by his father's arms and pressed into his chest.

As opposed to what he always did with Hermione, Harry immediately relaxed and clung to his father's robes. Being in his father's arms Harry instantly let go of all the worries Grindelwald had created with his lies. His father would never dump him or get rid of him in any way.

Voldemort smirked as he watched his child. Snape had told him about the current tense state his son had been in and had correctly deduced that close contact would immediately put him at ease once again.

There had been more than one reason for why he never allowed anybody – with the exception of Bella and on occasions her husband Rodolphus – touch Harry. First, he wasn't about to let any of his Death Eaters near his son, especially when he was still small and vulnerable. Second, he'd wanted Harry to feel safe when these people that were allowed to touch him did so, and thirdly he'd wanted him to tense out of instinct if any other one tried to touch him. As far as Voldemort could tell, this was still so.

Looking down at his heir and only child he remembered how he reacted when Severus came tumbling out of his fireplace and told him Harry had just faced off Grindelwald of all wizards and was now in the infirmary of Hogwarts.

He was furious like he hadn't been in years. He hadn't even been that furious when the idiots at the tomb in Germany let a small cave-in happen. Though it might have been because that time he'd just cast a few terrible curses at them and went to get out his son by himself, far too worried about the boy to wait for the idiots to reorganize themselves.

But this time – this time someone had openly tried to _kill_ his son. His heir. The only weakness he'd had in his whole life. There was no use trying to lie to himself. At some point he'd begun feeling for the first time in his life _love_. A love that only grew with the years as he watched with pride his son turn out to be more adept at magic than most of his adult Death Eaters. And now he loved his son so much that somehow it didn't matter that he was obviously not going to turn in the next Dark Lord. No, he'd realized that the moment his son made friends with a Mudblood and blood-traitors.

Back to the point, someone had tried to kill his son and it took all his self-control not to attack Severus. After demanding an explanation and after hearing it a second time he got even angrier at Grindelwald, who had somehow managed to escape.

For the next days Severus came back for a daily report on Harry. By the third day Voldemort was starting to feel more than a little anxious. Harry wasn't waking up.

Fortunately Harry woke up only a few hours later and by the next day sent Severus back with none other than Gellert Grindelwald's Horcrux. Now Voldemort recognized the pendant and after being told by Severus how Harry had acquired it he felt a deep annoyance surge inside him.

Really? Had the boy no tact? Buying a cursed pendant just like that? No wonder the tomb caved-in, really. But it would do no good to lecture the boy on that right now, he could deal with that another day.

Harry slightly shifting in his position brought Voldemort out of his reverie.

"Have you been feeling well since you were discharged?", he asked.

Harry nodded and then looked up at him, "Dad, why did Quirrell burn himself every time I touched him?"

Voldemort looked uneasy for a second. Really? Had the boy to ask this question? Now? Couldn't he wait for a few years with it?

"Because you have blood protection", he answered after a pause, better get this over and done with.

Harry cocked his head to his side, "What's that?"

Voldemort looked exasperated, trust the child to ask the most impossible of questions, "It's – something you got from your mother."

Voldemort really didn't want to have to deal with this, but he supposed that the sooner he got it over with the sooner he'd be able to get on with the next topic.

Harry was now gazing at him wide eyed, "How?", he asked.

"The night she died –", he paused, "Blood protection is given to somebody if you die protecting them."

"But – but she didn't die protecting me. Who would she have to be protecting me from – unless-", Harry stared intently at his father.

He nodded, "Aurors", he lied smoothly.

Harry looked beyond furious, "Aurors – let them burn in hell!", he hissed.

Voldemort smiled and didn't bother to tell Harry off for his language. He never did anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter the plot for the second year will start to kick in :D  
> Please review and, as always, nitpicking and Britpicking are more than welcome.


	13. Happy Birthday And Back To School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for Rapture38, who expressed how they thought this was never going to be updated again. If it wasn't for them, I'd never have realized that I had become the type of author to inspire that kind of feelings in her readers. I've never wanted to be that kind of author. So thank you, very, very much.

 

Summer had gone by much too soon for Harry's liking. He'd barely been at home for a week when his father told him of a voyage to Japan where they were going to acquire a weapon strong enough to destroy Grindelwald's Horcrux. It took them nearly two weeks and a lot more walking than Harry would have liked but finally they arrived at the small house in a village in the middle of nowhere where a man lived that traded with all kinds of objects.

Since his English was non-existent they had to hire a translator, who unfortunately was terrified by Voldemort's red eyes so instead he spoke with the more normal looking Harry.

The sword his father had been searching for was an ancient Zanbato, also known as the 'horse-slaying sword', which belonged to a legendary Japanese wizard whose name Harry couldn't even begin to try to pronounce. The tradesman gave a long boring speech that Harry didn't bother to pay attention to and instead went outside and enjoyed the sight of the typical Japanese garden, complete with a pond full of Koi fish.

Voldemort brought the sword, led them to another nearby village where their Portkey was waiting for them and soon enough they were both back at Riddle Manor.

Harry spent the next few days hastily finishing his homework and writing letters to his friends. Draco came by and invited him to the Malfoy Manor since the Riddle Manor apparently still gave him the creeps, even after all the years.

Harry's days only became more interesting when several of the other first year Slytherins began 'randomly' appearing at the Malfoy Manor. Harry had no sooner than he'd seen the Slytherins arrive at the Manor the second day in a row concluded that his father had some hand in this.

He kept going there every now and then to spend the day and devise new ways of tormenting Crabbe and Goyle and occasionally Theodore Nott or Millicent Bulstrode.

By the second week of the 'playdates', as Harry had taken to call them, Theodore disappeared and it took no less than six hours to find him. Nobody, not even Draco asked Harry what he'd done to him or how Theodore had ended eight miles south from the Manor looking chalk white.

Thankfully the 'playdates' stopped after that and Harry was now mostly at Riddle Manor with only Nagini as company – which for him was a huge improvement. His father, after destroying the Horcrux, had begun with all his usual trips and meetings, meaning that Harry barely saw him during the day.

Fortunately Nagini was a good company keeper – and Harry could speak her language.

" _I smell fear_ ", she hissed.

_"_ _Nagini we're in the dungeons, of course you'd smell fear_ ", Harry rolled his eyes at her.

_"_ _Young Master should know that I only show him the best victims, this fear is intense_ ", she hissed back.

Harry was mildly interested now, the voyage to the dungeons was proposed by Nagini as she was terribly bored being in Harry's room and since he himself was fairly bored as well he accepted her offer.

" _Is this person nearby?_ ", he asked back.

_"_ _Yes_ ", she hissed back excitedly,  _"We will be seeing-_ "

A scream ripped through the stony walled dungeons.

_"_ _-Or hearing him soon."_

_"_ _Will you eat him?"_

_"_ _Probably."_

_"_ _I have never seen you eat someone before"_ , mused Harry, his father had told him that he had to be older to witness that. Though Harry didn't understand why, he'd already seen more than one person being killed.

_"_ _That might change today",_ hissed Nagini happily.

They turned around a corner and entered a new corridor, now they could clearly hear people speaking followed by a shout of 'Crucio' and more screaming.

_"_ _They're torturing someone_ ", commented Harry quietly.

Nagini was hissing excitedly,  _"He's terrified! He's terrified!"_ , and she shot towards the cell from which the noise was coming.

_"_ _Nagini!_ ", Harry ran after her and entered the cell just in time to see Nagini bite a man on his shoulder, her long fangs cutting deep into his flesh.

The Death Eaters in the cell quickly stepped away, recoiling from the scene.

_"_ _Nagini, let go of him!_ ", ordered Voldemort, stepping out of the shadows. Nagini did so at once.

Voldemort turned to Harry, who staring transfixed at the bleeding man on the floor,  _"What are you doing here?_ ", he asked in Parseltongue.

_"_ _Nagini was bored so she proposed to come to the dungeons and I came with her. She then smelled fear and got overly excited when he got crucio'd and attacked_ ", explained Harry,  _"Do you need him for something? Because Nagini here pretty much killed him already."_

_"_ _He will be kept alive for now, we need some answers from him – and no, you can't watch her eat him."_

Harry stared at the man bleeding out on the floor, he looked to be on death's doorstep already to him.

_"_ _Go back, take Nagini with you, I will see you at dinner_ ", ordered Voldemort.

Nodding Harry took one step to the cell's metal bar door and then the man suddenly sprang up and tackled one of the Death Eaters.

"Seize him!", yelled Voldemort, but the bleeding man had already taken hold of the Death Eater's wand and was firing spells all around the cell, hitting some of the Death Eaters. Harry had barely ducked in time before a spell hit him.

Nagini was in front of the man in a flash, sinking her fangs into his neck this time. The man gave a gurgling scream as blood clogged his throat and seeped from both wounds and from his mouth now.

_"_ _FINISH HIM OFF!_ ", thundered Voldemort in Parseltongue and Nagini made a swift move and the sound of the man's neck snapping rang through the room.

Harry sat petrified on the dungeon floor as he watched Nagini placing the man's head in her mouth, the Death Eaters recoiled as they watched. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders and he looked up to find his father raking him with his gaze. His father then helped him up and guided him out of the cell and out into the corridor.

"Are you alright?", his father asked.

Harry nodded mutely as he was led through the corridors and out of the dungeons.

"Go, keep yourself busy", said his father before he left back to the dungeons.

Harry stumbled to the library, still in a state of shock. This was the fifth death he'd seen – Quirrell's didn't count – and it still affected him deeply to see such things.

Plummeting down on his usual armchair Harry drew up his legs and held them tightly, the image of the bleeding man still flashing through his mind.

For hours Harry sat completely still on the armchair, not even reacting when his Grandmother arrived for a visit to a portrait in the library and called out to him several times. Eventually she gave up and left with a huff.

It must have been hours later when Voldemort strode into the library.

"Your Grandmother told me you'd be here", he said.

Harry gave a half-hearted shrug.

"You missed dinner."

"I wasn't aware", said Harry quietly.

Voldemort heaved a sigh, he'd have problems like this every time Harry saw something he wasn't supposed to. And every time it was up to him to get the child to open up lest the shock of the event did more damage than it had already done. Bella couldn't be sensible about death or maimed people with children, though he doubted she really tried.

"You know we'll have an infestation of Red Caps by tomorrow down there", he commented idly but watched Harry's reaction closely and smirked when he saw the boy perk up a bit, "It would do good to exterminate them before Bellatrix decides to let them into the rest of the Manor like last time."

Harry seemed thoughtful for a few seconds, "It'd do good", he agreed, "You'll come as well?"

He inclined his head a bit, "I might", Harry smiled heartily and Voldemort had to feel good with himself, he'd done this too many times for it to not work this time.

"Come on, I won't have you missing dinner", he said and led Harry out of the library.

The next day came with Red Cap hunting, just as his father had said Harry found the dungeons swarmed with them, loving the recent bloodshed that had happened in one of the cells the previous day. Harry couldn't be glad enough that the Manor's wards were strong enough to mask the Trace that was still on him so that he could blast, stun, or set fire on the Red Caps as much as he liked. Much to Harry's enthusiasm Voldemort came to join for a while, but preferred to chat with Harry rather than take part in the extermination.

Feeling better than the day before and after finishing his Red Cap hunt Harry went to bed that night and slept soundly.

That was until he heard a loud crashing sound in his room and woke up.

Sitting up with a start Harry fumbled around his bed stand in search for his glasses. Once with his glasses in place Harry's emerald eyes raked his room till they widened as his gaze landed on the man on the other side of his room.

Screaming Harry sprung from his bed, tore out of his room and ran down the corridor till he arrived at his father's bedroom door. Knocking furiously he kept calling his father, "Dad! Dad!"

Finally the door opened revealing an annoyed Voldemort in black night robes.

"Wha-"

Harry flung himself at his father before he could finish and clung to him like his life depended on it, "The man – the one Nagini killed in the dungeons two days ago – he's in my room!"

Voldemort rolled his eyes, "You dreamt it", he said matter-of-factly but Harry was shaking his head fervently.

"No, no, you don't understand!"

"Harry", said Voldemort in a warning tone.

"I think he ghosted!", said Harry and his father eyebrows shot up.

"Then we better go check", he said and waited till Harry let go of him.

They walked to Harry's room, Harry waited outside as he watched his father walk around the room. After a moment another crashing sound came and Harry took a few steps back.

Voldemort came out of his room, scarlet eyes locked with emerald ones. His father nodded and Harry suddenly felt a little sick.

"What's he doing in my room?", asked Harry and Voldemort looked straight at Harry, obviously deep in thought.

"He was watching you intently", he said after a while, "Might have expected you, as a child, to stand up for him."

Harry took another glance at his room, "I'm not going back in their till the other ghosts come and teach him where his place is."

"I'll have to talk to them tomorrow", said his father with a frown.

"But where am I going to spend the night – it can't be too far past midnight!"

"Pick a room, there are many", said Voldemort and began walking back to his room.

Taking one last glance at his room as another crashing sound came from it Harry followed after his father, "What's his name?"

"Lycander Lycas."

"Order member?"

"No, just somebody foolish enough to place himself in my way, a pureblood too, such a pity."

"But you needed him, you were willing to keep him alive for a short while."

"Nothing too important, he was dispensable."

Choosing the room across his father's Harry bid him good night and went back to sleep. Unfortunately having the other ghosts in the Manor confront Lycander Lycas wasn't enough as he seemed more than adamant on haunting Harry's room or at least the corridor just outside the room.

Everybody waited for the ghost of the poor man to calm down, it was common knowledge that just after their deaths ghosts were normally very upset for a week or two and then calmed down. Now a week had already gone by, Lycander Lycas had become no less noisy and Harry's birthday was at bay.

Now, Harry's birthdays had always been a special occasion to him, ever since he had memory he and his father would spend that day alone together. That's it, no cakes, no parties, no friends and no presents until the end of the day, just him and his father.

This year, considering the noisy the Manor was at the time, Voldemort took Harry away from the Manor to the edges of a small half-magical town in Yorkshire. Like all his birthdays Harry enjoyed himself fully as they walked, talked and had lunch and dinner together. The best part was when Harry got his present, it was a golden pocket watch engraved with runes and full of many little hands that went around in either circles or squares. Harry had no idea what any of them did and tried to pay as much attention as he could when his father began explained what each little hand did. One detected poison, one worked like a Sneakoscope, but like all Sneakoscopes it was bound not to work well at Hogwarts, another hand always pointed north and the most prominent hands pointed at the hour.

Being overjoyed at his present Harry practically bounced around for the rest of the day till he got back to the Manor where Bella and her husband Rodolphus were waiting for him. They gave him a huge thick book on the Dark Arts that Harry knew with one look he was going to love.

Sprinting to the Manor's owlery Harry found several owls waiting for him. First was from Draco and was carrying yet another book on the Dark Arts that Lucius and Narcissa had send along with a book on Quidditch that had an enclosed note from Draco. In the note Draco wished him a happy birthday and reminded him no less than four times that this year they could try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team and that they should be ready, hence the book.

The next owls came from Ron and the twins, Hermione and Neville. He got a poster of the Chudley Cannons, which Harry had taken to cheer for just to annoy Draco, along with a middle sized box Harry didn't dare open because he believed it to be a trap, a book of Goblin history and a book on exotic plants, respectively.

Harry took all his new items back to his room, surprised that he actually liked the simple gifts he'd gotten from his friends. Sure they were nothing like the book he'd gotten from Bella and Rodolphus or the wonderful pocket watch he's gotten from his father but he still liked them and had written back them all telling he'd find their gifts very useful, it was the closest thing they'd get to a thank you.

Snuggling into his bed with Nagini coiled around him Harry fell deeply asleep.

It was definitely past midnight when Lycander Lycas came by again and this time knocked Fred and George's present off the table. The box fell on the floor and opened, filling the room with a sweet chocolate-y smell, made a popping sound and all of the sudden Harry's room was filled with little purple birds humming the happy birthday tune.

Watching with both fascination at the fact that he actually hadn't been pranked and with irritation at the fact that he'd just been woken up, Harry got out his new pocket watch and saw that indeed it was two o'clock in the morning.

Opening and closing his bedroom door quickly to prevent the purple birds from invading the house Harry crept to the bedroom across his father's and went to sleep there instead.

As Harry lay, falling asleep slowly, he idly wondered where Nagini had gone to.

 


	14. The Quidditch Player

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merely getting this site up to date with fanfiction.net
> 
> Also, my newest goal is to update this before six months are past. Here's to hoping that Uni will let me

Two weeks before the start of the new school year found Harry and Bella walking down Diagon Alley in search for all his new school supplies. Bella was of course wearing her thick long veil that covered most of her body.

They'd just entered Flourish and Blotts, where there was this famous guy giving out autographs and causing an overly cluttered shop, when Harry spotted Ron and a red head girl buying their books.

"Ron!", he said happily.

Ron looked around and waved for him to come over as soon as he saw him.

"Hi mate, come for your books as well?"

"Yes, came with Aunt Bella, she's standing at the line over there", he waved in her direction.

"She also came to see him? Mom's already up front look – there – he's already signing her book."

"Is that Hermione?", asked Harry as he saw a bushy head just behind Mrs. Weasley.

"Yeah, she came along, Dad's outside speaking with her parents, too crowded in here, he likes Muggles you know, with his work and all that."

Harry nodded, he'd already heard from Mr. Weasley and his work, especially from Lucius who seemed to hate the man to no end. He and Draco had merely stood aside each time he went into his rant about the Weasleys and kept quiet nowadays, not really wanting to pick a side.

Thinking about Draco reminded him-

"You seen Draco? He said he'd be here today but wouldn't come with me and Aunt Bella since Lucius would bring him."

Ron shrugged and turned to the little girl at his side who was looking fearfully at Harry, "This is my sister Ginny, she starts this year at Hogwarts."

Harry stretched out his hand for her to shake but she just continued to stare fearfully at him, "Harry Riddle", he introduced himself as if she wasn't literary cowering at his sight.

"She's a bit shy", explained Ron as he looked pointedly at her, obviously willing her silently to behave herself.

Draco then came squeezing into the store. He brightened as he saw Ron and Harry, "Thank Merlin I found you Harry, I've been looking out for you for over an hour already! Hi Ron!"

Ron waved and Harry shrugged, "Likewise, where were you looking? Knockturn Alley? You know I only came for school supplies and the last thing I want is to go shopping with Aunt Bella at Knockturn Alley, I believe we both remember how that turned out last time."

Draco gave a brief shudder and moved aside as Hermione came running towards them.

"Hello! I didn't know you two would be here today!"

"Please don't tell me you went to get an autograph of that idiot", said Draco with a certain amount of disdain.

Hermione glared at him as she clutched her newly autographed book closer to her chest.

"Draco, you seem not to notice whose book he's signing now", Harry pointed out.

They all looked up and saw the heavily veiled Bella step in to get her book signed. Though instead of looking like a normally excited woman in the crowd she acting overly excited and was now leaning over the man. Lockhart looked quite flustered by this and when she began touching his hair and when she suddenly plucked one of his curls out he promptly shot from his chair. He gave her a half scared half petrified look as Harry could hear her explain something about a 'collection' and 'teeth would do nice'.

Lockhart stared at her for another second before throwing a bright smile to the whole shop and ushered her away from a safe distance.

Harry and his friends snickered as they watched the interaction with the exception of Hermione, who was glaring at all of them.

"And here I almost thought she was his fan – and she was only playing it on him", said Draco between snickers.

"Quite good, eh?", grinned Harry and then saw Bella waving at him to come along, "There, I have to go, see you at the Express!", he called and was gone through the crowd.

Outside, though there were less people the ambient wasn't much better. Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley looked ready to fight each other Muggle style. Only Hagrid was standing between them.

"Oh dear", murmured Harry and grabbed Bella, "Look Bella, that store is selling a new broom!", he quickly dragged her away. The last thing he needed was Bella stepping in on a fight between Lucius and Mr. Weasley.

Lucky enough for him Bella took his interest at the new broom quite at heart and even brought him the previous model, a Nimbus 2000, because since he didn't play Quidditch he wasn't going to need the new Nimbus 2001. Harry was content, he really wasn't planning on joining the team so the Nimbus 2000 was more than enough.

The next weeks were mostly dedicated to prepare himself for Hogwarts and to once more fall into a fit of nervousness, which once again caused him to snap at any living being and to burn one or two things. Though it definitely wasn't as bad as the previous year, the greatest reason why that could be was Lycander Lycas's ghost. After his initial two weeks as a ghost he had seized to be able to move objects around, which was normal for ghosts, but still insisted on haunting Harry's room and trying to scare him when he least expected it.

The situation had become its worst the night just before Harry left for the Hogwarts Express when he screamed so much and for so long that Harry went to wake his father and complained. After a lengthy discussion that was interrupted about half a dozen times by Lycander's screaming Voldemort decided to take the affair into his own hands and speak with the ghost the next day and send Harry off to what was now almost his second bedroom only to get told that the ghost also haunted that room now.

Taking then yet another bedroom Harry had almost slept nothing at all by the time he was hastily ushered out of the bed by Bella. He quickly dressed and ate his breakfast in a daze and before he knew it Rodolphus and Bella were dragging him to the fireplace in the study.

It almost made Harry want to cry out in protest when he heard that his father wouldn't be taking him to the train station like the previous year. Hugging his father tightly and getting a promise that the ghost would be dealt with Harry was then unceremoniously shoved into the fireplace with a handful of Floo powder.

Arriving at the King's Cross station and crossing the portal was much more easier this year than the last and saying goodbye to Bella was also a lot more easier.

Platform nine and three-quarters was as noisy and busy as always. Harry could see Neville and the couple that had last come with him and two other smaller children looking around and calling for Trevor. He could also see Hermione raising her trunk with some difficulty into the train and not too far off he saw Draco hug his mother good bye.

Rodolphus quickly heaved Harry's trunk onto the train and Harry was able to drag it till he found the compartment Hermione had claimed.

"Hi Harry!", she greeted him as he stuffed his trunk under the seat and flopped down on it.

"Hi", he said simply as he relaxed into the seat and closed his eyes. He really was exhausted after a night of almost none existent sleep and then afterwards rushing to the train station.

It felt like he'd just held his eyes closed for a few seconds but when he opened them the compartment was full and the train was in motion.

"Wha-?"

"Harry! Finally decided to join us I see", said Draco in his usual drawl.

"Had a rough summer?", asked Neville as he looked up from his Exploding Snap game with Ron.

Harry groaned, "You wouldn't believe me."

"What happened?", asked Hermione concerned.

"Didn't Draco tell you?", he asked as he sat up a bit straighter.

"He refused", said Ron sending a light glare at Draco.

Draco shrugged it off, "Wouldn't know if you wanted to tell."

"Just go on and tell, I'm in no mood to speak about it", growled Harry as he tried to settle himself into a comfortable position, "How long was I asleep anyways?"

"About two hours, come on Draco, spill it", said Ron eagerly.

"He has a new ghost at his house", explained Draco.

They all stared at him in shock.

"But that would mean – but that would mean-", Hermione gasped, "Someone died there recently", she said in a horrified whisper.

"Yeah, the big problem is that the ghost somehow knew of Harry while he was alive and blames him for not saving his life, you know, being a child and still somewhat innocent. I still don't get it myself but that's the ghost's reasoning and now he's taken it to haunt Harry's bedroom."

Neville looked sick by now and the others didn't look far better.

"So that is why you're so tired? Because he's haunting you when you sleep?", asked Hermione.

Harry nodded, "He has it for troubling me at nights and follows me to another bedroom I took to use instead after it became too unbearable. I don't know what's his problem, none of the other ghosts in the –"

"Other ghosts?", whimpered Neville and Draco nodded fervently, "That's why I never go there, too many ghosts."

"Not that many, but they behave themselves pretty well, they all belong to the upper levels of the Manor and stay there. As long as you don't go there you probably would never see them. But this one – this one caused chaos for his first two weeks there – which is normal for a ghost, but after that they're supposed to calm down and fall in with the rest of the ghosts. This one just goes on screaming hell every night and sometimes even through the day and won't heed the other ghosts, if I didn't know better I'd think he's a Poltergeist."

"I-isn't there a department in the Ministry of Magic that deals with ghosts?", asked Hermione.

Harry snorted, "Hermione, the last place they'd help with ghost issues would be the Riddle Manor. Besides, father already promised he'd do something about the ghost – probably round all the other ghosts up against him – I hope", finished Harry glumly and sagged back into the seat.

"Won't he be able to follow you?", asked Hermione.

"He would be but the Manor's wards wouldn't let him", said Harry with a sigh of relieve.

"Since when do you know so much about ghosts?", asked Draco to Hermoine.

"Oh! I spoke with Moaning Myrtle last year one day, it was – enlightening", she finished with a grimace.

"Told you how she died? That's what all ghosts brag about – but who is Moaning Myrtle?", asked Harry.

"No, no, she didn't really explain how. She doesn't really seem to know, says she only saw someone or something and then died and came back to haunt some girl but the Ministry stopped her after she went after the girl to some wedding. She's the ghost in second floor's girls bathroom. She haunts the toilet stalls", explained Hermione.

Harry blinked, "A girl ghost? At Hogwarts? That's mean that a student has actually died there – and in the girls bathroom no less!"

"C-can we please not talk about ghosts?", asked Neville with a slight whimper.

Ron jumped at the opportunity, "Who's going to try out for Quidditch this year? I've been practicing this summer to try for Seeker but I think Higgs is gonna beat me to it."

Draco perked up at the topic change, "I'll be trying for Chaser and if I don't fit for that I'll go for Seeker, but I've already been trying to brainwash Harry to try for that so-"

"So you admit to your brainwashing activities! Draco Malfoy, I'm ashamed at you!", said Harry dramatically, "Giving out your true intentions like that, what's happened with secrecy?"

"Oh shut it you", said Draco but rambled on, as if his Slytherin qualities hadn't been placed in doubt, "I already gave him a book on Quidditch and I've seen him fly once or twice in my life. I'm sure he'd make a good Seeker, besides-"

And so the conversation went on, only Harry and Hermione not being really interested in the game and commenting only from time to time while the others had deep lengthy discussions about the possibilities each House held of winning the cup for the year.

Hours later they were still discussing something Quidditch related when Neville suddenly shot up and exclaimed, "Trevor! I haven't seen him since I got on the train!", and began searching for him frenetically.

Harry got out his new pocket watch, "Less than twenty minutes till we arrive at Hogsmeade and I'm way too tired to search the train."

Neville looked at him, his brown eyes filled with tears.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!", exclaimed Harry and stood up, "Where did you see the accursed thing last?"

Neville began a lengthy explanation of where he'd seen his toad last as he dragged Harry with him to find the amphibian.

It was nearly five minutes before they arrived at Hogsmeade when Draco called them to the compartment of some sixth year Hufflepuffs and told them to get the toad themselves because he wasn't touching it.

"It's only a toad Draco, and not even a poisonous one", Harry told him.

They all got off the train minutes later and were led to the carriages that were going up to the castle. Harry gave the Thestrals one glance, but was too tired to wonder why a school had such creatures pulling their carriages and promptly got into one.

As to be expected nobody else seemed bothered by the Thestrals and it seemed to Harry that he was the only one their group to be able to see them.

Soon they all marched up to the Great Hall and watched the Sorting Ceremony. Harry had to admit that watching from this new angle was somewhat interesting – for the first few minutes, after that it became boring.

Finishing the feast and skipping the introduction Severus came to give the first years in the common room Harry went to sleep early to make up for the busy day he'd had and slept soundly that night without any sort of interruption.

Next day they started off with their usual owl post. Harry'd been expecting his father to write him and tell him the problems with Lycander were history but instead only got his usual crazy letter from Bella that made little to no sense but made him feel like he was back at home.

"Looks like Neville got a huge package", mused Draco as he watched Neville open up his package that he had gotten that morning, "He also got that new owl he'd been promised, it just flew out, grey with white spots."

Harry looked up and saw Neville get out a pair of socks from the package, "Seems he again forgot stuff at home."

Schedules were given out a short while later and the first day of classes started. Classes were as boring as usual for Harry and the teachers still hated him the same as usual. McGonagall in particular. She always gave him extra homework and treated him like he was the most undesirable person in the world. Flitwick and Sprout came second, mostly ignoring him like he wasn't there and when they paid him any attention it was always with disdain that they treated him.

Though he might just have imagined that they were a little less abrasive in manner than the previous year. Since he didn't know why they would be doing that and since classes still weren't really that nice he ended up chalking it all to his imagination.

The first day of classes had just finished and Harry and Draco went to their table in the back of the library, there all the others were already waiting for them.

"You're early or-?"

"They're early", Harry interrupted Draco and snapped shut his pocket watch, "Why?"

"Lockhart let loose a cage of Pixies", said Ron glumly, "We got dismissed early after he fled."

This seemed to interest Draco as he quickly took a chair and sat across Ron, "Details, now."

Ron launched into a detailed tale of how bad their first class with Lockhart had gone, supplied with extra details from Neville as he recounted how he'd been hung by his robes on the iron chandelier. The best part seemed to be when the Pixies threw Lockhart's wand through the window.

"This is golden", said Draco as he grinned, "I'll tell father about this – quick, who has some parchment?", he was practically bouncing on his chair.

"Draco!", admonished Hermione, "It was only his first lesson and you've not even been in his class once!"

"Don't listen to her", said Ron as he handed him some parchment, "She has underlined all his lessons with hearts."

Harry and Draco gaped at her as she turned pink and whispered shrilly to Ron, "RON!"

"Women", Harry shook his head, "But she has a point, wait till you see for yourself how bad he is and I might help you compose the letter."

"Harry!"

"What? I'm bored."

Though with what happened the next day Harry was ready to write the letter himself if it was necessary.

Harry was walking out of the Great Hall along with Draco and Ron when Amethyst Ethelwine, a first year Slytherin girl, came marching towards him, Colin Creevey at her heels.

She stopped right in front of him and puffed her chest out, "Harry Riddle?", she asked importantly and went on before he could answer, "Amethyst Ethelwine, daughter of Elphias Ethelwine, this is Colin Creevey my personal photographer", she motioned at Colin who waved happily at them, "He has taken my photos with prominent Slytherin members and I have been searching for you since yesterday. I already have a photo of your friend Draco Malfoy with me so-"

"WHAT?!", yelled Draco, causing some people to stop and stare at him.

"Yes, when you were asleep in the armchair of the common room. Now, Mr. Riddle, would you like me to stand at your right or at your left?"

Harry felt confused and he probably sounded so too when he asked, "What?"

"The photo, also, don't worry, Colin will be developing them the wizarding way and not in the Muggle one."

Just as Harry was about to yell at her to get out of his way Gilderoy Lockhart appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh! Harry, right? Yes I remember you from the bookstore, you were there with the heavily veiled witch!", his smile faltered for half a second but quickly had it back on, "I saw you watch me with such admiration in those young eyes", he placed his arm around Harry's shoulder and Harry stiffened, "Much like the deep admiration the dear witch with the veil had, your mother I'd wager, taught you about my adventures since you were but a babe! Reading my books to you as your bedtime stories", he smiled brightly and Harry felt himself grow red from all the attention he was getting from the passerbys.

"But now Harry, it is no good to go around giving out photos like this! Next thing you'll want to autograph them! But you see, you first have to be famous to do things like this. Famous like me for instance."

In the distance the school bell rang and without a second thought Harry dashed away from him. He was already halfway to his next class when Draco caught up with him, not even trying to hide his snickering.

"That – was –so-"

"Finish that sentence Draco and you can greet me next month", hissed Harry.

Although Draco didn't say another word he had a smile plastered on his smug face for the rest of the day. When the next day arrived so did their first class of Defense Against the Dark Arts with their new Professor.

Draco had been expecting some other magical creature to be released on the class but was sorely disappointed when nothing of the sort happened. Lockhart seemed to have gotten disheartened after the previous incident with the Pixies. Instead they all got a quiz about Lockhart himself which Harry gave one look and refused to answer a word on any question and instead dedicated himself to glare at Lockhart throughout the lesson.

Things didn't get better after that, even after both Harry and Draco had written separate letters to Lucius to complain about Lockhart. By the second week notices appeared on the noticeboard in the common room announcing the Slytherin Quidditch team needing players. Draco became insufferable after this. There would not go an hour past without him urging Harry to come with him. Finally, out of pure desperation to keep Draco quiet, Harry agreed.

The try-outs were rather boring to watch and when it was Draco's turn to try out for Chaser he won by scoring three more times than a fourth year with whom he'd been competing for the position.

Then they called Harry's name.

"Good", said Flint, captain of the team, "You know the rules right?"

Harry nodded though he barely knew the basics.

Flint smiled, "I'll let the Snitch loose – ready? GO!"

Harry kicked off and began to look out for the Snitch, not really looking out for it at all. But then he saw it – and he felt it. The adrenaline rushing through his veins as he accelerated to catch the Snitch, the undeniable euphoria he felt as soon as his hand was clasped around the little golden Snitch. It was beyond wonderful.

So wonderful that Harry didn't mind doing it four more times, catching all of the Snitches in record time. The consequences of these actions didn't dawn fully on Harry until Flint made an announcement.

"Team! We have a new Chaser and Seeker! Everybody welcome to the team Draco Malfoy and Harry Riddle!"

Draco was cheering madly. Harry was mildly horrified.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this chapter is a bit short and the nex chapter might also be short, but after that it all gets better.
> 
> Please Review!


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